


About a Duck

by Little_Miss_Numbers



Category: Disney Animated Fandoms, Disney Duck Universe, DuckTales, Goof Troop
Genre: College, Coming Out, Identity Issues, Light Angst, M/M, Queer Themes, Romance, Sexual Identity, Warning: Hate Violence, Warning: homophobia, Warning: homophobic slurs/language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-26
Updated: 2014-06-26
Packaged: 2018-02-06 08:26:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 22,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1851283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Miss_Numbers/pseuds/Little_Miss_Numbers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Max's life gets turned upside down when he runs into a childhood friend on campus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Max was late for his Ancient Greek course. _God, who signs up for 8:30 classes?_ he thought bitterly to himself as he dashed down the halls. He checked his watch, if he ran, he could still make it before the class actually started. And wouldn't that be nice to avoid another stern look from that cow (literally) Dr. Bell. He was rushing through the music building (a shortcut, honest!) when he saw a flash of red and white head into one of the practice rooms. _It couldn't be!_

As he rushed by, he looked in to see the duck sitting on the piano bench digging through sheets of music. He looked up and their eyes met and Max stopped dead in his tracks. It was definitely Huey. In the back of his mind he was thinking he should say something. But he was panting from the running, and what do you say to someone you barely know and suddenly started staring at out of the blue while running to class? Class! Without warning, Max took off again. But all thoughts of ancient Greek syntax were purged from his mind.

 

Max remembers the first time he saw him. It was the funeral. He doesn't need to qualify which funeral. In his mind, there only ever was one. There had been an accident. At the time Max was too young to understand plane crashes. That his mother had been best friends with Della Duck, and was travelling with her and her husband to somewhere exotic when ice on the wing of their plane had led to the worst. He only knew that something unexpected had happened and she wasn't going to come back.

He remembered heavy rain, and huddling close to his father's leg to stay dry, and maybe get a bit warmer. He wished his father would pick him up but he wasn't paying attention. He never seemed to pay attention to anything anymore. Another black car pulled up, and three tiny little ducks all identical and dressed in the same black suits climbed out. They didn't look at him, they just followed their uncle, dressed in a navy dress uniform, around the grounds in a neat little line to the other two grave sites. 

 

The next time they'd met had been three years later at Mickey and Minnie's wedding. Max remembered his father dressing him up in an itchy suit and strangling bow tie, and cooing over him the whole time. When the duck triplets had come in, he'd been shy. Hiding behind his father's leg. But apparently his father knew their uncle, and dragged him out in front of them to play. 

They were still all dressed identically, and Max was starting to wonder if that was a thing with them. But at least this time their ties were different colours, so he could match up their individual names with something. "What kind of a name is Deuteronomy?" he remembered asking the one in blue, who'd only responded with, "What kind of a stupid name is Maximillion?"

Then they'd fought and been pulled apart and Max had spent most of the rest of the evening sitting stewing in a corner until his father decided maybe he was too young to be at these events so late and had taken him home.

 

It was their third meeting where they'd actually become friends. This was a more casual affair: a picnic get-together between old friends, and Max remembered the smell of hot dogs over the barbecue and awful macaroni salad in a backyard he'd never been in before. And Huey, Dewie and Louie were there before he'd even arrived, dressed in t-shirts and hats, the same colours as their ties at the wedding. He'd finally managed to ask them about it, but they just shrugged like it hadn't occurred to them before and one of them pointed out that sometimes Louie also wears yellow instead of green.

Then they'd played tag, snuck fire ants into their uncle Donald's shirt and eaten hot dogs, covered in as much relish and mustard as they could manage. And Max remembered especially bonding with Huey, who liked to take charge and make things happen, just like Max did. And after that they were good friends, joined at the hip. It even got to the point where Dewie and Louie groaned when they saw him coming, because it meant losing their brother until he left again.

 

And then they turned 11, Donald reenlisted and sent his nephews to go live with their great-uncle in Duckberg, Goofy decided to move back to his hometown of Spoonerville, and they'd lost touch completely...Until now, it seemed.

 

"Come on! You've almost got the whole plate!" Max cried encouragingly. The crowd around them seems to agree.

Bobby looked down at the plate of cheese fries and looked like he was going to be sick.

"I dunno," said TJ. "He's not looking so good."

"But you're so close, Bobby!" said Max. "Three more fries is all you need to break the old school record. Five plates of cheesy fries, you'll be the cheesy fries King!"

Bobby picked up another cheesy fry and slowly raised it to his mouth. The crowd hushed around them as they watched him slowly begin to chew. He swallowed, and for a moment it looked good. Then Bobby's entire face turned green and he bolted for the men's bathrooms.

Murmurs of disappointment filled the cafeteria and the crowd dispersed, going back to more important things like schoolwork and social engagements. All except one white duck in a red shirt.

"This what you guys do for fun?" he asked Max taking Bobby's vacated chair and finishing off his last two cheesy fries.

Max grinned. "Sometimes," he admitted. "Usually we do aggro sports, but every once in a while it's fun to force Bobby to try and eat five plates of cheesy fries."

PJ looked confused between Huey and Max and cleared his throat.

"Oh, where are my manners," said Max taking on a sudden proper air. He looked at PJ and gestured to Huey. "Current best friend, meet old best friend. Huey, PJ. PJ, Huey. Huey and I used to be inseparable before I moved to Spoonerville." 

Huey held his hand out to Bobby. "Pleased to meet you." 

PJ eyed Huey suspiciously. "You never mentioned him before."

Huey pretended to look hurt. "Maximillion! Did our time together mean so little to you?"

Max shrugged, feeling a little bit guilty. "I guess it never really came up," he answered, honestly wondering how Huey had managed to slip his mind. 

But Huey seemed nonplussed. "Listen, I've got to run, but we should really catch up sometime," he said, grabbing his bag and standing up. "Give me your cell number, and I'll text you, okay?"

"Who was that?" asked Bobby returning seconds after Huey ran off.

"Apparently Max has a best friend he never told us about," said PJ haughtily. 

"Holding out on us, Maximillion?" asked Bobby in a sing-song tone.

Max held his arms up defensively. "He's just a friend alright? And I'm late for linguistics, so I have to run. You guys can interrogate me later, alright?" he teased, and dashed off.

 

Two days later Max, got a text: ' **Wanna meet for dinner at Joe's? - Huey** ' and a few hours later they had a booth in the corner and a large meat lovers pizza between them. 

"So what are you doing here?" asked Max, asking the obvious questions first. "And why aren't Dewey and Louie with you? I thought the three of you were inseparable."

Huey shrugged. "I guess I wanted some distance," he said. "You know, find my own identity and all that. Besides, they have a good music program here. One of the top ones in the country."

Max nodded along as he listened. So Dewey and Louie weren't hiding behind some corner around here for him to stumble on to. He didn't know if he was relieved or disappointed. "So what was living at your great-uncle's like? I hear he's like an eccentric old millionaire or something."

Huey's eyes suddenly glazed over at the memories, and he grinned. "I'll tell you all about it, but first you have to tell me why I saw you and your dad dancing on stage at a televised Powerline concert a few years back."

"Oh man, you're not going to believe half of it."

 

"And it was a real lamp!" said Max excitedly. "Like with a genie and everything. But then they lost it, right?"

Bobby yawned, and PJ, having finished his own plate of cheesy fries moved on to Max's untouched ones. "Yeah, that's real cool, Max," he said absently and tried not to let on how uninterested he was when Max started up on another story.

"So," said Bobby loudly, interrupting Max mid-sentence. "What time should we head over for the basketball game tonight?"

Max's eyes went wide. "I completely forgot we were doing that tonight. I'm going to see a movie with Huey. You guys wanna join us for that? It's the new Double O Duck spy film."

"We're supposed to bring the letter signs, remember?" asked PJ.

"Oh right," said Max deflating. "Well I'll make it next time, alright?" Then before they could even answer he was on his feet with backpack slung over one shoulder. "Listen, I gotta run, but I'll see you guys around," and he was gone.

"Seems he's spending a lot of time with that duck." Bobby pointed out. "What has he got that we don't?"

"I dunno," said PJ. "But that story about the goose that could change things into gold was pretty cool."

 

Max yawned and fished for the keys in his jacket pocket. When he opened the room to his door P.J. was sitting up, arms crossed and looking not-at-all happy to see him.

"Peej, what are you still doing up?" asked Max. It had to be 2 in the morning. And didn't PJ have an early class on Thursdays?

"You forgot again."

Max looked blankly back and PJ. "Forgot what?"

"Wednesday is B-movie horror night. Remember? We watched Night of the Living Late Night Snacks without you."

"That was this Wednesday?" 

"It's every Wednesday, Max!" PJ snapped. 

"Oh man, PJ, I'm sorry, it totally slipped my mind. I was out with Huey and--"

"Why am I not surprised," PJ interrupted. "You've been spending enough time with him lately. Am I even your best friend anymore?"

"Oh come on, Peej. You know you are. I just haven't seen Huey in a really long time. We have a lot to catch up on." He tried a placating smile. "Come on, dude, you know you're my best friend. Huey's got nothing on you. Remember that camping trip our dads took us on? And my dad threw a beehive at your dad?"

PJ smiled reluctantly. "And then our dads thought we got kidnapped by a bear? And my dad got skunked?" 

"Or when we saw that scary movie and thought there was a serial killer after us?"

PJ's eyes went wide with horror. "And then Dad noticed and actually pretended to be that serial killer? Oh God, how could I forget?"

"See, we've got too much history to not be best friends," Max reassured him. "Huey couldn't replace you if he tried." PJ still looked unconvinced. "Hey, why don't I bring him down next Wednesday. He's a cool guy, you guys will like him. I promise."

 

"Hey hey, it's about time we met the new guy," came Bobby's friendly greeting when Huey walked into their dorm just behind Max. 

"Hey, nice digs," said Huey looking around. "How'd you guys get such a big room?"

"It's all about who you know," said Bobby smoothly.

"Bobby thinks it's because my dad is dating the head librarian when really it's because my dad forced me to get my room application in early," explained Max falling onto the couch. "Now are we going to watch Killer Sheep from Outer Space or not?"

PJ grinned finding the old VHS while Huey helped Bobby with the popcorn and they settled in. 

"Oh man, look how cheesy the sets are," cried Max at one point during the film. "You can even see half the sound stage everytime the camera shows the black sheep assassin."

"I'm pretty sure planet Mutton is just a ball of dangling yarn," pointed out PJ.

"But that Queen Baaah-Shear is veeery nice," said Bobby the next time the Buxom sheep queen reappeared. Letting out a little yip sound to punctuate his point.

Both Max and PJ seemed to agree pretty strongly with that. But Huey just kind of drew into himself a bit and tried to focus on the movie. PJ and Max didn't seem to notice, but Bobby did. He also noticed throughout the night that Huey tended to lean further into Max than him and PJ did, and steal glances when he was pretty sure Max was focused on the movie. Well that was interesting.

Huey didn't hang around very long at the end of the movie. Quickly explaining something about an essay he needed to work on and a sonata he needed to practice before he went to bed that night. 

"So?" asked Max, turning back to his friends after Huey was gone. "He's pretty cool, right?"

PJ agreed, with maybe still a bit of reluctance, but Bobby wasn't saying anything at all. "Come on, Bobby, he's alright, right? It'd be cool if I started bringing him around more often?"

"I guess," said Bobby. 

"You guess? Come on, Bobby, if you have a problem with him, spit it out."

"He's a fag!" Bobby blurted out.

Max stopped cold. "What?"

"He was mooning over you all night, Max. How could you have missed it?"

"What really?" asked PJ.

"I don't believe this," said Max, suddenly really angry. "I make one new friend and you guys are so insecure you're making shit up about him?"

"He didn't seem to agree with my assessment of the Sheep Queen," Bobby pointed out.

"Not mooning over some overdone B-Movie yew doesn't make you gay. It just means you're not as crass as a bunch of immature college sophomores who can't get laid," Max snapped back. "Make sure if you're going to randomly start accusing my friends that you have something better than that to back it up." 

"Yeah, well maybe the feeling's mutual," Bobby shot back. "You talk about him enough. Maybe the two of you are off boinking when you're off by yourselves all the time."

That was when Max saw red and it was very likely he would have hit Bobby right there and then if PJ hadn't done it first. "That's too far!" he yelled. His face was red, and he was breathing heavily. Max didn't think he'd ever seen his friend look so angry and something about the image made his own ire melt away.

"Forget about it, Peej. He's not worth it," he said before Bobby could retaliate, either verbally or physically. Suddenly he was just tired, and wanting to hide away from everyone. "I'm going to bed." 

"You can ignore it all you like but you know I'm right," Bobby called after him.

When PJ came into their room a few minutes later, Max pretended he was already asleep.

 

Max was flying. At least that was how he felt as he careened down the edge of the skating ramp and back up the other side and did a 540 before going down again. This was exactly what he needed, he thought as he did trick after trick. The sound of plastic wheels on pavement, and the risk if he didn't pay enough attention, didn't do everything exactly right, it could be the last thing he ever does. There was no drama here, no fighting friends, just him and his board and dangerous trick after dangerous trick.

He was doing an anti-casper way up at the ledge at the top of the half pipe, when he caught a glimpse of red in the crowd below. He grinned and skated down.

Huey looked at Max as he came down with an expression that seemed to fall somewhere between awe and horror. "You would never be able to get me on one of those," he said, eyeing Max's skateboard. "I've been in space and I've met dinosaurs, but careening down a concrete ramp on a plank of wood and plastic wheels is where I draw the line."

Max grinned. "It's not as dangerous as it looks," he reassured him. 

"Yeah, if you say so," He looked less than convinced. "Hey, since I've caught you, I was wondering if you wanted to grab lunch with me."

Max had been about to decline. Not anything to do with the drama from a few days ago, he just wanted to fit in a bit of extra study time before a test, but then he noticed Huey looking confused at something behind him and followed his eyes to Bobby on the half pipe in his roller blades, glaring at the pair of them. "Did I run over his dog or something?" asked Huey.

Max shook his head. "It's nothing, he's just being an idiot." He took Huey's arm and practically dragged him out of the skate part. Let Bobby sit on that one for a little while. "So where should we eat?"

Lunch was unusually quiet considering the easy conversation that usually flowed between them and Max was pretty sure the problem was on his end. It was Bobby's fault, he thought bitterly to himself. They'd barely said two words to each other since Wednesday night, and now he had him thinking all sorts of paranoid thoughts and guessing at Huey's motivations. Which wasn't fair to the duck at all. 

"You alright?" Huey asked after a while. "You seem subdued."

"Yeah, just thinking about a big test later today," he lied. "I'm going over verb conjugations in my head." 

Huey raised an eyebrow. "Well that sound boring."

"Eram, erās, erat, erāmus, erātis, erant," Max went over one of the verb tenses he'd likely need to know that afternoon.

"Yeah, see, that's just gibberish," said Huey. "You should consider learning something useful instead."

"Latin is useful," Max argued. "It lays the groundwork for French, Spanish, Italian."

"Yeah, what other languages are you taking right now?"

"Just ancient Greek," said Max. "But I'm taking a course on Old English next term."

"You mean like Shakespeare?"

"No, Shakespeare's modern English. This would be more like the original Beowulf." 

"Yeah? You ever considered learning any current languages?" asked Huey, looking at Max like he was some sort of weird extra-terrestrial.

"You know that's funny because I'm debating studying Sanskrit next." 

Huey looked at him like he was trying to figure out if he was joking or not. Then something else seemed to occur to him. "Hey listen, what are you doing over the long weekend?"

"Nothing yet, why?"

"My uncle Scrooge is turning 70 and everyone's coming. I could use someone in my corner, help me get out of awkward conversations, that sort of thing."

"Yeah," said Max, agreeing without even thinking about it. He's heard so many stories, he was more than a little curious to see the actual place.

"Great!" Huey grinned. "Then it's a date."

Max went stiff.

 

And so it was that 3 days later Max found himself on a bus to Duckburg, marveling at the Scrooge estate from where it was visible still miles out of town, while Huey, mostly bored played a Gameboy beside him.

"You grew up here?" Max asked.

Huey shook his head. "Nah, we just lived here for a few years until Uncle Donald retired officially from the navy," he said, like it wasn't a big deal, and Max realised to him it must not be. But he'd never lived in a trailer in an empty lot, or spent years living beside PJ who always had the newest gadgets and the top of the line everything when his dad refused to even by a new car. 

When they made it on the estate they were even greeted by a butler. The very first thing they did was meet Scrooge McDuck himself and wish him a happy birthday which Huey did with relish, and Max stood there awkwardly while Huey explained who he was. Scrooge gave him an intense look, holding his pince nez closer to his eyes for a full inspection. "Aye, I've met yer pappy," he said finally in a thick Scottish accent. "Doofy fellow, but a good soccer player." 

"Oh yeah?" asked Max nervously, as he rubbed the back of his neck. Did his dad even play soccer?

"Relax," said Scrooge in a not unkind tone. "Any friend of Huey's is welcome here. You just have yerself a good time, y'hear?"

From there Huey dragged him over to a large crowd of that seemed to be mostly made up of various types of fowl and said "Look what I found!"

Max recognised Dewey and Louie as the two who looked just like Huey, and Donald and Daisy, he'd met enough times to know, but there were a bunch of girls he'd never seen before. A tall pelican he definitely didn't know, and an elderly female duck who looked old enough to be Scrooge's mother he definitely would have remembered. 

"Well I'll be," said Donald coming over. At least that was what Max thought he had said. "I haven't seen you since you were," he held his wing up just above his head, which was tall from his perspective, but still quite a bit shorter than Max was now. And so it was that Max found himself spending most of the afternoon on the largest estate grounds he'd ever seen, listening to more old stories about his dad than he'd ever have even guessed existed. 

Huey broke off pretty early and Max didn't know if it was because he knew the stories already, or if he was just generally bored, and joined his brothers. Max half wanted to follow him, but this was a side of his dad he'd only seen glimpses of before, back when him and Donald and Mickey used to do all sorts of things together. And besides, Donald seemed to be really enjoying talking about it, he didn't imagine a lot of people liked sit around and listen to him reminisce about the old days. So instead he kind of watched him out of the corner of his eye, glancing over during breaks in Donald's stories, or whenever the old duck was a bit distracted. 

So he saw as the three girl ducks--they must have been triplets, even members of the same species didn't look that similar without genetics playing some role--pair up with Huey, Dewie and Louie. Man, they even matched by colour. And for some reason, Max found himself not liking the female duck in red. Neither it seemed did Huey, who seemed intent on avoiding her, which Max told himself was the reason. Nobody likes somebody who imposes themself on somebody else, it's obnoxious. He was tempted to excuse himself from Donald to go and rescue him, but another girl duck in pink beat him to it. Now she looked familiar but Max wasn't sure why. But whoever she was, he was grateful to see her coming over and and pulling the female duck in red away for something else.

The next time Max risked a glance over, the two girls were still there chatting amiably about something, but Huey had disappeared. 

"Hey, can I ask you something?" asked Donald suddenly breaking away from the stories.

"Yeah, of course," he answered.

"Is Huey OK?" 

At first Max thought he'd misunderstood. It was an easy enough thing to do with Donald, but he'd also been listening to him for most of the afternoon and was getting pretty used to the way he talked. And besides, the concerned look on his face seemed to fit with the words. 

"Uh...yeah. I mean at least he seems pretty OK," Max answered. "Why do you ask?"

But Donald didn't seem to want to talk about it. He just shook his head and said, "No reason, I just wanted to make sure." He smiled reassuringly and made an excuse about neglecting his uncle Scrooge and headed off. Max kind of blinked. Well that was weird.

When Donald had finished with him, he wandered around the grounds, wondering if Huey had just ended up in a corner somewhere, but he didn't see him anywhere, and didn't feel comfortable enough to wander the estate on his own to go looking for him.

"Hey, I think I know you," Max turned around to see the duck in pink, alone now, looking him up and down appraisingly. Max had to admit, seeing her close up, she was pretty. Pretty and excessively girly, dressed in a giant pink bow, and a very cutesy pink dress. The only thing that seemed to be missing to complete the ensemble would have been a little raggedy doll. But despite it all, she did still come across as grown up. As though she was being purposely ironic with the whole getup in a way she probably meant quite sincerely at a younger age.

"That's right," said Max, finally placing her. "I've seen you around campus, with Huey. I guess you two are friends from way back, huh?"

"Webbigail Vanderquack, at your service." She did a fancy little curtsy. "The unofficial fourth nephew."

"Webby!" Max's face filled with recognition. "Huey told me all about you. Er...nothing recent, but about his time living here with you and Mr. McDuck." It was weird that he was relieved to know she was more family than a friend. 

She seemed startled at the sudden exclamation of her nickname, but she recovered her composure quickly enough. And suddenly hit Max that, wow she was posh. Then again, you probably weren't the ward of the richest duck in the world without picking up those kind of manners at some point. "I see your date's abandoned you," she commented, glancing around all the guests in grounds. 

Max stiffened again at the term. He was going to kill Bobby for even putting the idea in his head. But Webby just smiled kindly at him. "Go through the back door," She glanced towards a pair of large elegant doors, "and follow the piano music. You'll find him."

 

Max heard the music as soon as he stepped inside. It sounded vaguely technical the way it seemed to climb everywhere, but full of fancy trills and little dynamic changes too that made it interesting. He walked quietly, still not feeling like he should even be in here. Eventually he came to a large ballroom with a grande piano sitting in the middle in front of a giant wall of windows with light silk curtains, flowing almost transparently down over top of them. It was by far the classiest room he'd ever seen.

And sitting at the piano, looking like he was lost to the world was Huey. The scene just looked so intimate that Max felt guilty for intruding. For a brief moment he considered just backing out and leaving the way he came, even if he did know barely anyone out there. But Huey finished the piece and looked up and saw him watching him. He smiled, and started on the next one. It was similar while being altogether different, faster and overstuffed with trills, and Max walked over and sat down beside him and watched him play. 

"What are you playing?" he asked.

"Bach's invention no. 13 in A major." Huey answered, without missing a note. "I've been playing through the whole set. They're kind of an exercise, I like to warm up to them."

"Hey, sorry for abandoning you," Huey continued after a bit, still playing, and Max wondered if he played these often, or if he was just good at talking while he played. "I wanted to slip away before April found me again."

"April?"

"The girl in red," he explained. "She's Daisy's niece. Her sisters, May and June, are dating Dewie and Louie, so she seems to think that entitles her to me or something." 

Max frowned, thinking he had been right, and listened to Huey play. As he reached the end of the invention and started on the next one, it occurred to him that they were pretty short and he quickly finished that one and started on another that seemed particularly heavy on the trills. When he finished that one he took his hands off the keyboard and sighed.

"That feels better," he said smiling softly to himself. He seemed to be basking in the silence of the room. "I used to come here and play as a kid, you know. Uncle Scrooge made me take lessons and I hated them until I figured out that I could sneak away and practice, and be alone with my thoughts when things weren't great. It was the first thing I ever did that I did alone." Max didn't, but he figured it was different for a triplet. He thought maybe he was finally understanding why Huey decided to go off on his own, away from his brothers.

"Do your brothers play too?" 

Huey shook his head. "Louie plays the violin. Except I don't think he's really touched it for a few years now. Dewie's useless with anything that doesn't have a computer interface." He laughed a bit, remembering Dewie trying and failing to just get a sound out of his oboe. "I don't think they understood--or still understand really why I need this. I think they feel like I don't think they're enough." He attempted a smile, but it didn't meet his eyes. "Maybe they're right." 

Max thought back to Donald's question earlier. Was Huey alright? A few hours ago he'd been sure his answer was right, now he wasn't so sure. Was this what Donald had seen? But then Huey shook it off and looked at Max like he was back to normal. "Dude, you shouldn't let me ramble like that. I'll talk your ear off," he teased, smiling easily like he usually did.

Max wanted to smile back but his stomach was a mess of weird feelings he couldn't really identify. And he thought maybe it was the pretty piano playing because for some reason he really didn't want it to be anything else.

"You alright?" asked Huey. "You've been acting kind of weird for a while now."

Max dismissed the question. "It's nothing," he said. "Don't worry about it."

Huey spun around the piano stool so he was straddling it, and facing Max directly. It suddenly occurred to Max that despite the significant height difference, when they were both sitting they were almost the same height. "So there is something," said Huey. "You've been weird ever since we watched that horror movie on Wednesday. Did I do something to embarrass you?"

"What? No!" Max answered quickly. "It wasn't you." He swore in his head when he realised what he'd said because he'd just confirmed again that there was something.

"Who then?" Huey looked confused. 

"Look, it's really nothing," said Max. "It's stupid. Don't worry about it."

But Huey wouldn't let it go. He knew something was up, and he used every argument he could think of to get Max to spill it. "Fine, it's Bobby," he finally said. "It's so stupid, you're going to laugh." At least Max hoped he'd laugh. Truth be told, he had no idea what his reaction would be, but most of the possible scenarios that crossed his mind weren't good. "He thinks you have a crush on me. Like you're trying to seduce me or something." He practically spit it out, making sure it was clear what he thought of Bobby and his stupid theories. "He's been giving me a hard time about it lately."

He forced himself to look at Huey, expecting to see what he'd been feeling himself. Anger, disgust, hopefully none of it directed at him. Hopefully nothing that would make him want to stop being his friend. But when he looked at him, none of that was there. Huey was looking back at him, slack jawed and wide-eyed. Like he was terrified.

"Woah, it's OK," Max reassured him. "It's just Bobby being stupid. Don't worry about it."

"But what if it's true?" Huey asked so quietly Max almost didn't hear it. "What if I do have a crush on you?"

Max felt a chill run up his spine. That wasn't one of the reactions he'd considered. He was suddenly aware just how close the two of them were, and finally able to identify that dark look Huey would sometimes get in his eyes. Max wanted to run, he felt the surge of adrenaline rushing through him, and he desperately wanted to do something, but he seemed to be completely paralysed. And then Huey kissed him.

It felt like a shot of electricity, and while he barely moved outwards, inside it felt like all his nerve endings were on fire. And he was fighting against a hundred different impulses at once. Part of his brain had a big neon sign flashing "RUN RUN RUN" in big bright letters. But there was another part that wanted him to reach out and grab the back of his neck and pull him closer, and kiss him back harder, like if he was a girl. And neither instinct would let him do the other, leaving him paralyzed and helpless until Huey finally pulled back. 

With the kiss gone, Max felt his mind clear. Or maybe it was just the one impulse winning out over the others. "Oh God," he said, jumping back. "I...I got to...I..." He slipped on the gigantic ballroom floor and scramble up again. And suddenly he was angry. Angry at Huey for kissing him, angry at Bobby for bringing up the subject in the first place, angry mostly at himself for letting it happen, and for not seeing it coming, and then even angrier at himself for actually wanting to participate in it. Though by the time he'd manage to get off the floor again, managed to put some real distance between himself and Huey, and make it back to the bus stop with a ticket and a desire to get away from Duckburg as quickly as humanly possible, he'd managed to convince himself that last part had never happened.

Max was glad the bus station was empty, as he sat there staring at his ticket. He didn't even remember buying it. Hell he didn't remember anything between the McDuck ballroom and this moment right now where he was sitting there staring at his ticket, and he wasn't even bothered by this fact. In fact, he was feeling weirdly numb and his mind which should be reeling right now was weirdly blank. 

At one point the door behind him opened and he heard the sound of high heels clack across the linoleum. Then he saw a lot of pink out of the corner of his eye as someone sat down beside him. He looked over. "Webby?"

She had a strange look on her face, and Max noticed she was biting her lower beak nervously. This was not the poised and confident Webby he'd talked to earlier that afternoon.

"You can't tell anyone," she said finally.

"What?"

"You can feel however you want. You can hate him, you can cut all ties with him. But please, don't tell anyone. At least...at least not your dad. Not anyone that knows him."

"Huey." Max understood suddenly.

"He's not out," Webby explained. "He's not ready for people to know yet."

"Why should I care? He should have thought of that before he became a fag." He sounded angrier than he really felt, but that may have been because at the moment he wasn't really feeling anything. He regretted it instantly though when he saw Webby flinch. "Fine," he said, hoping agreeing to her request would make this weird guilty feeling he had go away. "I won't tell anyone."

Relief flooded her face, and she smiled a really sad smile as she stood back up. "Thank you." She put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Have a nice trip."

 

PJ and Bobby were playing video games in the main room when Max got home. He stormed right past them and straight into his room. The only thing he said on his way was "You were fucking right about him, Bobby," before disappearing completely for the night.

 

It was Bobby who checked on him first. After letting him stew alone for a few hours he knocked on the door and came and came and sat on PJ's unmade bed on the other side of the room. "Dude, you OK?" he asked, unusually subdued for Bobby. Max didn't answer so he went on. "Hey, I get it. You feel betrayed," Said Bobby sympathetically. "He was cool. He liked video games and monster movies."

"What's your point, Bobby?"

"Point is, Amigo, you shouldn't beat yourself up over it," explained Bobby matter-of-factly. "It's not your fault you didn't..." He waved his hand around, trying to think of the right phrasing. "Catch on." Max raised an eyebrow, but Bobby plowed on. "He lied to you, anyone could have fallen for it is all I'm saying."

"Yeah?" asked Max. Somehow none of this was actually making him feel any better.

"Truth, be told, bro? I'm actually feeling pretty relieved right now. I wasn't sure...you know..."

Max blinked. "You thought we were...I was..." he sputtered, unable to actually put it into words.

"Hey, I was wrong." Bobby raised his hands defensively. He smiled at Max, like this was all a good thing. Like suddenly this 'gay' problem was gone and they could move on and go back to their easy friendship. 

Max returned it with a weak smile of his own, but all he felt was sick.

But over the next few days, it seemed that Bobby had been right. It was almost eerie how quickly and easily things turned back to normal. It was like that month after he'd run into Huey hadn't even happened. They watched bad horror movies, went to school games, practiced for the upcoming X-Games, and overall life was good again.

As for Huey, he never saw him. Sometimes he'd catch a glimpse of red and look around, but it was always somebody else. A cat or some kind of rodent. It was never even fowl. Maybe it made sense. He had after all gone to same university as him for over a year without ever seeing him. He remembered something Huey had mentioned about music students being mostly isolationists and figured it must really be true. And really it was a relief. 

 

"You know something Max?" 

Max had been almost been almost asleep and it took him a second to realise PJ was talking. "Huh?" 

"I've been thinking--"

"Never a good idea Peej."

"--And you know, if you were gay, I wouldn't care."

Max felt his last bit of sleepiness suddenly fly away in a fit of panic as he pushed himself up onto his shoulders. "PJ, I'm not--"

"I'm not saying you are," PJ reassured him. "Just that it's something Bobby was talking about, and I was thinking, and I don't think it would matter. That's all."

"--Because I was definitely in, well at least in lust with Roxanne, and me and Mona got really serious for a while and--"

"Max!" PJ cut him off mid word. "I believe you."

Max opened his mouth to argue again, but argue about what? PJ wasn't actually accusing him of anything. He felt himself deflate as he laid back down and let what PJ had said properly sink in. "It really wouldn't matter?" 

"Nah, I don't think so. I mean, you'd still be the same guy, right?"

"Yeah, but I'd like dudes."

"But you'd still be the same guy," PJ repeated firmly.

Max opened his mouth to argue again, but he couldn't think of a good counter. "Yeah, well what if I only pretended to be your friend because I wanted to jump you?"

There was a long pause before PJ finally answered "Is that what happened?"

"Yes." Max answered quickly, except that didn't sit right. "Maybe, I dunno." And he realised suddenly that he didn't. "I guess I kind of took off before I could find out." PJ didn't answer, but he didn't have to. "I guess I'm a pretty shitty friend, huh?"

But PJ just answered simply, "I dunno. I wasn't there."

 

"Yo, mission control paging the shuttle Max." Delilah snapped a finger beside Max's ear, shocking him back to the art cafe. 

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

Delilah raised an eyebrow and turned to PJ. "You were right, he's like a lost plastic bag, blowing in the wind, but with nowhere to fall."

Max looked blankly at PJ. "Translation?" 

"You spaced out again, man. Something on your mind?"

Yeah, actually, there was a lot on his mind. But nothing he wanted to talk about, not yet at least. He was about to make some kind of excuse, tired, or overworked, or nervous about the upcoming X-Games, when he caught sight of a familiar pink bow up by the bar. "Uh...I'll be right back," he said, getting up, completely fixated on his destination.

"We'll need to practice in the space first, get a feel for the acoustics. Maybe we can come by in the morning, before you open? And my accompanist wants to know what kind of piano you have."

"Webby?"

Webby stiffened at the sound of Max's voice, and he figured he probably deserved that considering the last time they talked. But when she broke off talking to the cafe manager, she seemed perfectly friendly. "Max, I haven't seen you in a while."

"Hey, I was just wondering, how's Huey doing?"

Webby gave him a long look before she answered. Like she was trying to figure out what his motivation might be. Finally she said, "You have his number. Why don't you call him and ask?"

Max didn't have a good answer to that. If he were honest with himself, he was actually a bit afraid of Huey, but he didn't want to admit that to Webby. "Never mind," he said, and started to break off and head back to his friends. But Webby called after him.

"Wait!" Max stopped. "He'll be here on Thursday. Some of the music students are doing a little show and he's accompanying me on the piano. If you want to see how he's doing, come by."

"Alright," said Max, nodding his thanks before he left.

"Alright," said Webby, giving him a friendly smile as he left.

Now Max just had to figure out if he could get away on Thursday without telling Bobby or PJ where he was going.

 

As it happened, there was a big basketball game Thursday night, so Max did what anyone in his situation would do. He faked a stomach bug. He went all out, moaning and rushing to the bathroom. He even held his lamp against his forehead when he was alone in the room so it would feel like a fever whenever PJ or Bobby came in to check on him.

The second they were out the door he was up and dressed and on his way back to the art cafe. When he made it to the stairs that led down into the cafe he saw the sign in chalk advertising a night of jazz and a long list of names, including both 'Webbigail Vanderquack' and 'Hubert Duck'. He hesitated, and took a step to the side as a small group of people walked in past him. He wasn't used to being nervous, and yet this whole thing had his stomach doing back flips. At least he hadn't had to fake queasiness this afternoon with the rest of it.

The show had already started when he got down, with a little jazz trio improvising, though neither Webby or Huey were up there. Or anywhere else that he could see in the room either, he thought looking around. He hoped he hadn't missed them and went up to the counter and ordered the first fancy coffee on the menu before finding somewhere out of the way to sit down and watch.

About midway through the set, he heard a familiar voice behind him. "Well, well well, one of these things is not like other."

"Delilah!" Max almost jumped out of chair as the poetess sat down calmly beside him. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you at the basketball game?"

"All the noise and the boys at the gymnasium were throwing off my karma. But the real question is, Fish, what brings you out to the desert?"

"Listen, You can't tell anyone you saw me here, alright? Not Bobby, not even PJ." Delilah looked intrigued but, to Max's relief, she agreed. At least Max thought she agreed. "I just heard a friend was playing," he finally answered her question. 

Max waited for her next cryptic, but rhythmic spiel, but to his surprise Delilah just took a sip of her coffee and said simply, "Must be an interesting friend."

The Jazz trio finished and stepped off the stage only to be replaced by a sax soloist. She was good, and Max was sitting wondering why he didn't listen to more Jazz when he saw a small group of people flow in from the back door. They were obviously performers, he saw glimpses of sheet music, and the distinctive shapes of instrument cases in their silhouettes, but he couldn't tell from where he was if Huey was among them. Until he briefly appeared in the light being cast out from the men's bathroom when someone else stepped out.

Max's heart skipped a beat and he debated going over and talking to him now, but held back. He seemed busy preparing, and besides an excuse to procrastinate was always nice. While the saxophonist played, he kept glancing back, and checking on the group of musicians, but mostly he seemed to be either watching the performance himself, or whispering serious short comments to a girl in a bow beside him. Webby he realised. 

Finally the saxophonist finished her set and stepped down, and Webby and Huey stepped on stage. Webby gave a brief introduction while Huey set up his music and off they went. Huey apparently played jazz piano as well as he played classical, but what really surprised Max was Webby's singing. She sang standards, Paper Moon, Autumn Leaves, Let's Call the Whole Thing Off, almost all songs he'd heard before, but she played around with the melodies, scatted, improvised, and each one sounded like her own.

He waited patiently until they were finished and followed them back to a table near the front. "I gotta go," he told Delilah, and rushed off to the other side of the bar.

Huey was sitting with about four other people including Webby who smiled at him and said "Hi Max!" Before he could accidentally sneak up on Huey.

Max saw Huey sit up straight before he even turned around. "Hey." Max answered coming around so he could see Huey's face. "Um...hey could we talk?" he asked him.

"Yeah, sure," said Huey, grabbing his stuff, which was just a bag with a folder of sheet music in it, and getting up. "I'll catch you guys later, alright?" and he followed Max out of the cafe and into a quiet corner in the alley behind.

"Judging by the look on your face, I'm guessing Webby didn't tell you I'd be here, huh?" he asked, scratching the back of his neck. He didn't understand why he was suddenly so nervous around Huey. He hadn't been before...well before.

"No, I guess she forgot to mention it," he answered in a way that implied that she hadn't forgotten and he was planning to have a serious talk with her about it later.

"Look, man, I think I owe you an apology." Huey looked surprised which prompted Max to ask, "You don't think so?"

"No, I think so," Huey reassured him. "I'm just surprised you think so."

"I shouldn't have run out like that. You just startled me."

"Yeah, well I kind of startled myself," said Huey. "And what about the next three weeks?"

"You really startled me."

"And now?" asked Huey. 

"And now I've had some time to think," said Max, honestly. And it was true he'd been doing an awful lot of thinking lately. Especially over the past couple days.

"And you're not afraid I'm going to try and kiss you again?"

Max felt his heart skip a beat. He wasn't going to get a better opening than this. "You could if you want, you know."

Huey did a double take and checked his ear to make sure there wasn't anything blocking it. "I'm sorry, did you just say--"

"You know, if you're still interested," added Max quickly. "Because I'd understand--"

Huey frowned at him. "This isn't some kind of experimentation kick, is it?" he asked suddenly. "Because I don't want to get back into this and have you suddenly run out on me again. If you're in this, you're in it all the way. And if you don't think you're ready, turn around and leave right now."

Max didn't move. God help him, he wanted this. And if he'd had any doubts leading up to this moment, they were gone now. Looking down at Huey, and knowing that something could happen between them again tonight, was maybe even close to happening, sent his pulse racing. "I'm not going anywhere," he finally said and in a move that even surprised himself he leaned in and kissed Huey.

And as he kissed Huey behind a brick wall in the back alley, the weight of Huey's words really hit home. There was no going back now. But God help him, it felt right.

 

When Max wandered back in later that night, PJ and Bobby were already there. 

"So a stomach flu, huh?" asked PJ suspiciously.

"I felt better so I went out," explained Max, not at all concerned that he was caught red handed. 

"Yeah? Out where?" asked Bobby.

"Oh you know--" Max grabbed an apple off the counter and bounced it off his elbow before catching it in his other hand, shining it and taking a bite. "--out." He grinned and disappeared in his and PJ's room.

"I want to go out where he's going out." Said Bobby after a moment of silence.

 

Max was hitting all the tricks. Arials, ollies, slides, grinds, it didn't matter because he was lighter than air. All too soon he heard the bell which signified the end of their practice time and time for half the team to go to class. 

"Wow, Max. Skate like that during the qualifiers we'll be going in at first place first," said PJ, biking up excitedly to were Max stood holding his skateboard.

"Duuude." And Bobby just behind him. "That was bodacious. You are at the top of your form, man, with the qualifiers two weeks away, we are perf-ehct."

Max grinned. "Yeah, I'm really in the zone lately, huh?"

"So where should we go for lunch?" asked PJ. "I'm in the mood for burgers. Let's go to Bob's Shakes."

Max stopped breathing. But then Bobby said "Nuh-huh. I'm in the mood for some piz-za." 

Max exhaled when PJ agreed. "Wish I could join you guys, but I've got this Latin exam coming up I need to be ready for. I'm gonna go to the library and get some extra study-time in before class." He gave them an easy smile and rushed off before either of them could protest. 

He did make a quick stop in the library, but just to return a book, before rushing off to Bob's to meet Huey.

"Alright, so how does this lunch thing go?" Max asked Huey when he got there. He hoped it didn't sound as awkward out loud as it had in his head. "Like if I were here with a girl, I'd pay. What are the rules for two guys?"

"I figured we'd just pay for our own." Huey shrugged. "There's no rules, whatever you want."

"Yeah, OK." Max slipped into the booth across from Huey and glanced over the laminated menu while trying not to think about the fact that he hadn't been this nervous on a date since he first started dating Roxanne when he was fourteen. "I guess I'm still figuring all this out," he admitted after a while. "I mean, you know, I wasn't even sure I liked guys until you...well, you know..." Max still couldn't say it without blushing, so he trailed off instead.

"You're kidding."

"Oh my God, I still can't figure out how I like you if I still like girls." A pretty fox in a pair of tight shorts walked by the window. "And I definitely still like girls," he said, his eyes following her as she walked around a corner out of site. When he looked back Huey was looking at him with a raised eyebrow, and he at least had the sense to look guilty.

"I don't see what the big deal is. Maybe you're bi, or pan, or straight with an exception." Max looked blank, and Huey realised he'd lost him. "Point is, don't worry about it. Like I said there's no rules. You'll figure yourself out eventually."

"Easy for you to say, you seem to have it all figured out."

To Max's surprise Huey laughed. "Not even close," he said. "Maybe I know more than somebody who hasn't even know what sexual orientation he is, but I'm still pretty new to this whole dating guys thing too."

"How new?"

"I'm in my second year, so just over a year then." 

Max considered that. Huey had maybe figured the whole gay thing out sooner than him, but Max had definitely had a head start when it came to dating, with two serious partners already behind him. The whole thing made him feel better. "You waited until you left home?"

"Either that or come out in high school," Huey pointed out.

"Alright, I see your point," Max conceded. "So the real reason you decided to go to a different school than your brothers..."

"I needed some space. I need to figure myself out, understand everything, before I can come out, you know? This might sound hard to believe, but you don't really get a lot of privacy when you're a triplet." Huey smiled wryly to himself. Mostly he hadn't minded. In fact, he missed his brothers a lot. But it had been awkward when they'd started chasing after girls.

"So does anyone else know? Other than Webby of course."

Huey shook his head. "I mean, I'm out here of course. The whole music department knows. Gene knows, you don't know Gene, but he grew up with us too." Huey paused to think if there was anyone else. "No one back home does though."

"Are you going to tell them?" asked Max, pensively eating a fry off Huey's plate.

"I want to. I just, I dunno, I don't know how they'd react," Huey confessed. "It's not like anyone ever talks about this sort of thing, y'know?"

Max did know. He was still not sure what to make of the reactions both his friends had had when they had first suspected he was having an affair with Huey. Both had taken him by surprise. He wondered how his dad would react and realised he had absolutely no idea. How would Bobby react now finding out he'd been right? After being so relieved when he had thought he was wrong? Would PJ be as open minded as he said he'd be? Or would it be another thing entirely actually faced with the reality of it? "Yeah, but they're family. They'll come around, right?" He wasn't sure if that question was meant for Huey or for him.

"I always think they will. I mean they have to, right? What's the alternative? But I've heard so many horror stories from other queer people around campus. People who've been kicked out or disowned." Max's face must have been reflecting the cold chill he was feeling rising up his spine because Huey stopped talking. "I'm freaking you out, aren't I?"

"No." Max quickly lied. 

"Because not everyone reacts badly. Webby took it all in stride. Gene had figured it out from watching me as a kid. I guess it's not such an unusual thing where he's from." Huey shrugged and Max deflated a bit. That did make him feel a lot better. "Yeah, from what I've heard, most people come around in the end. Even if they don't react all that well when you first tell them," Huey continued. "Really I think it's just that middle part I'm putting off."

"Yeah," Max agreed and tried to ignore the weird way his stomach was squirming.

 

"So who is she?" Bobby asked seemingly from nowhere. 

Max had been reading through a Sappho poem in the original Greek, preparing for a translation assignment, and just feeling floored at what she was saying. Bobby had walked up right behind him without him even noticing. For a brief second, Max had worried that Bobby might have read the poem over his shoulder until he reminded himself that Bobby doesn't know any ancient Greek. "Sorry, what?" Out of the corner of his eye he noticed PJ had started listening in from the kitchenette, but didn't seem to want to get involved.

"Come on, bro, you've been holding out on us." Bobby pushed, leaning up against the couch behind Max and nudging him gently on the shoulder. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." Max tried to push away the sinking feeling in his stomach. 

"Dude, we've seen the way you've been lately. All goofy--no puns intended--and sneaking off to "study"." He raised his hands to do the air quotes. Then he leaned in so he was right beside Max's ear. "And then you didn't come back the night before last."

Max's heart stopped and he'd gone from fighting down worry to full blown panic. "Dammit, Bobby. It's none of your business." Max snapped and turned around. He realised almost immediately it was probably the stupidest way he could have reacted. He could almost read Bobby's mind as his face shifted through a series of reactions. Why so defensive? You should be gloating. Why wouldn't you want to be caught? Unless...Oh my God.

"It's the duck isn't it." Bobby's eyes grew wide with shock when Max didn't deny it. "You said--you were angry. I remember." 

Max looked to PJ, either for help or to see where he was on the matter, but he'd apparently managed to slip away at some point and Max had no idea when or where he'd gone. He focused back on Bobby, who seemed to be having trouble forming a sentence. "Oh my God, Bobby. You're acting like I murdered someone." It was as good as an admission. Bobby stopped sputtering, and pulled away from Max as though he was worried he might get burned. "It's not contagious." 

"Yeah? Because you seemed pretty straight before you started hanging around that duck," said Bobby, not making any effort to lose the distance he'd created between them.

"His name's Huey. Stop talking about him like he's a disease."

"Yeah, you don't like me insulting your little boyfriend?" 

"Yeah, that's right," Max shot back. "Why, does that bother you? Can't stand the fact someone you know is dating a dude?" He was deliberately goading Bobby at this point, but he didn't care. Who did he think he was, judging Max for who he decides to date? Who was he hurting? It had taken Max over a month to get over all this self loathing he had for himself for feeling like this. To even let himself acknowledge he was attracted to a guy. Right now he hated Bobby, if only because right now Bobby reminded him too much of himself. 

Bobby flinched, and it just made Max angrier. "Yeah, that's right. I'm not afraid to say it out loud. I like men, and I'm dating one. And you know what else, I love it. This is the best relationship I've been in since Mona. I wish I'd started dating guys years ago." 

Bobby's face went red and he looked absolutely horrified. Though what hurt most was the way he was looking at Max like he didn't even know him. With a look of absolute betrayal on his face. "Oh God, I'm living with a fag. I can't live with someone like that."

"Yeah? Well I don't particularly want to be living with a bigot like you either." The words were out before either of them had a chance to consider them. And once they were said they just hung uncomfortably in the air. Neither of them had really meant it, but both were too angry and too hurt to want to take them back now they'd been uttered. 

"Fine," said Bobby.

"Fine," said Max. And he pushed himself off the couch and stormed into his room. 

 

"Max? What happened?" asked Huey looking at the lost figure who'd just shown up at his doorstep with a giant duffel bag at 1 in the morning.

"Bobby kicked me out. Can I stay here?"

"You think that's a good idea?" Huey asked the same time that he stepped out of the doorway and let Max in.

"What do you mean?"

"How many girlfriends did you want to move in with after only a few weeks of dating?" Huey asked seriously.

"Oh." Explained like that, it made sense. New relationships were fragile. Was Max ready to find out that Huey left molted feathers in the shower drain in the mornings? Or smacked his beak when he was irritated? He collapsed down onto Huey's couch. "What am I going to do?" He was surprised how unconcerned he really felt about the whole situation. Everything had turned sour so quickly, but instead of despair at not having a place, or upset that his friend had found out he liked guys and reacted about as badly as he could have, Max mostly just felt tired.

He must have looked worse than he felt though, because Huey was looking at him with real concern in his eyes. "Stay tonight, and we'll figure something out tomorrow." He didn't even ask what had happened, and Max realised it was probably pretty obvious. Instead he just sat beside him and put his arms around him, inviting Max to lean back against him. "Don't worry, we'll get it all sorted out in no time."

 

Max was woken up the next morning by the sound of Huey talking on the phone in the next room. "I don't know, it could be a while. He might have to find a new place entirely...Yeah, I don't know the guy at all, I've only met him once. I don't know if he's likely to come around or not, but I doubt it...yeah...uh huh...you sure?...Oh man, I owe you for this one...Yeah, I know..." 

Max climbed out of bed and walked over the door frame. It was such a small little apartment, with a stove and fridge on one side of the room, and a couch and television on the other. He didn't even have room for a piano. He smiled over at Max when he saw him standing there, leaning groggily against the door frame in just a pair of pyjama pants, both hair and fur disheveled. 

"One sec, let me just ask him..." Huey moved the phone away from his head and covered the bottom. "Would you be alright living with Webby and her roommate? They have a spare room while their other roommate's in France for a couple months."

Max blinked away some of his grogginess. That was fast. "Uh...yeah, sure," he said.

Huey put the phone back against his ear. "Yeah, he's cool with it. Let me know what Cas says, and we'll be by later this afternoon...Yeah, you too, Webby...see ya." He hung the phone up and got up and stretched. "You alright?" He asked glancing back at Max. "You look a bit shell shocked."

"Maybe I just hoped it would take a few more days." Max moved flirtatiously towards Huey, who, now that he was standing, was actually fairly close, and pressed his forehead against his.

Huey moved away, grinning. "Oh man, you never quit, do you?" He moved towards the kitchenette. "Come on, let's eat. We have to get you moved today."

 

Webby's apartment was huge. Even considering it was meant for 3 people. Max's was made for 3 too, but it still only had one giant segmented room for the three of them to share. This was like a section of a house, it even had a staircase that lead to the bedrooms upstairs. It was also very pink, and Max was pretty sure he'd never seen so many stuffed toys all in one room before. Webby had a piano.

Webby smiled warmly at him as he followed Huey in from the hall with his giant duffel bag and offered him a seat and some tea. "Don't you worry," She reassured him as Max and Huey sipped on whatever fruity thing Webby had fed them. "Huey told me everything, and you can stay here as long as you need to. Bonnie's not getting back until after Christmas, so you have lots of time." 

Max just nodded quietly as Webby kept talking, telling him about various details about living here. The trick tap in the bathroom, warnings about how late Webby and Cassandra, who was apparently another music student, practice. A few mentions about the neighbours, who were quiet enough, but sometimes their cat got out and tried to get into other apartments. She had just begun explaining the chore rotation system they had when Cassandra finally walked into the dining room.

Cassandra was pretty much the exact opposite of Webby. She was a goose, tall, lean and dressed in sleek designer clothes, and a fancy stylized haircut. And where Webby always came across as warm and welcoming, Max got the distinct impression that Cassandra was not somebody you ever wanted to cross. 

Webby smiled at Cassandra. "This is Max, who I told you about this morning," she said introducing them, and Max politely stood up and offered his hand. 

"Hey, I guess we'll be roomies for a little while."

Cassandra looked Max up and down as if she was inspecting him, before taking his hand firmly in her own. "Charmed." She turned her attention to Webby as she slung her purse over her shoulder. "Webby dear, I picked up a double shift. Can you tell professor Nightingale I'll be a bit late for rehearsal tonight?"

"I'll let him know." Webby smiled reassuringly at Max after Cassandra had left. "She's really very nice once you get to know her." 

 

Max felt weird about going to the skate park for practice the next day. He hadn't talked to Bobby since their big blowout a couple days ago. It had been even longer for PJ who probably knew the whole story by now but hadn't so much as texted him. Both Webby and Huey lived off campus, so it had been pretty easy to just stay away from the university for most of the weekend too, rather than risk running into them at the Student Union or cafeteria. He wondered if they'd even show up for the practice they'd planned.

The park was pretty full when Max got there, and he felt like everyone was watching him as he put his helmet on and skated into the main park. But every time he looked to look for Bobby or PJ, everyone seemed to just be doing their thing.

"Max!" Max nearly fell off his skateboard when he heard PJ calling him. He'd been here for over an hour, with no sign of either of them, he'd figured they weren't coming. 

"Peej!" Max's heart was beating so hard he thought it might burst out of chest. He hadn't realised just how nervous he was about seeing PJ again until this very moment. And he was relieved when he skated down and hopped off his board that PJ didn't look mad.

"Dude, where have you been!?" he cried. 

"What? Didn't Bobby tell you?" 

"Bobby told me, but since when do you do what Bobby tells you?"

Max didn't answer. He was suddenly mad at PJ for not understanding why this was a bigger deal than Bobby getting worked up over pizza money. That Max just couldn't handle someone hating him for this right now. Not when he was still having trouble figuring out his own mess of feelings over how he felt about it all. 

PJ frowned, but to Max's relief he dropped it. "So what are you going to do?" he asked. "Half your stuff is still at our place."

"I dunno," said Max honestly. "I haven't really given it much thought. God," he muttered sitting on the rail behind him and rubbing his temple. "this is all so much, so fast. I didn't expect this. I thought I'd have more time before I had to start dealing with this kind of shit."

"You sound really freaked, dude."

Max let out a humourless laugh. "That's the understatement of the year," he said. "God, I can't believe this is happening. I thought I was straight. I thought I was normal. And suddenly one of my roommates can't even stand to look at me, and I'm living with the two girls who only know me as Huey's boyfriend. And I'm sitting here wondering if I even still have a team for x-games coming up or if Bobby's quit, and the only thing I even care about is that I'm super relieved you know and you're still willing to talk to me in public." He looked up gratefully at PJ and winced at the concerned look PJ was returning. "Do I really sound that bad?"

"Worse."

"Thanks, dude." And Max meant it. It felt so nice to unload a bit. He'd had no idea he was so tightly wound up about all this until PJ had given him a chance to get some of it out. "So how is Bobby?" he asked finally, not sure he actually wanted to know, but realising he probably needed to if he was going to start figuring things out.

"Pissed," said PJ. "He needs some time to cool down."

"Is he still on the team?" 

"I don't know." Said PJ.

"You think he's OK with me on the team?"

"I don't know," PJ said again, shrugging. "Give it time. In the meantime, I promise you still have me."

Max smiled gratefully at his friend. "Thanks, Peej. That really means a lot right now."

 

"Oh my God!" Max quickly jumped off the couch and spun around, and he could feel his entire head turning red. "Where's your shirt!?"

Cassandra who was walking through the living room wearing only a pair of pants and towel drying her hair, rolled her eyes at him. "I'm getting it from the laundry room. God, I thought you were gay."

"I'm not that gay." cried Max, afraid to even glance back to see if Cassandra had made it out of the room yet. 

Apparently not. "I wish I'd known you were going to make such a fuss about this sort of thing," she huffed, still where she was when Max had turned around. "Really, darling, you're going to have to get over this prudishness of yours."

His phone beeped and he looked down to find a text from Huey. U busy? Wanna hang out?

"Oh God yes." Max muttered into his phone as he replied to Huey's text, happy for any excuse to escape Cassandra. 

 

About half an hour later Max found himself walking around the university campus with Huey. "So how's living with Cassandra and Webby?" 

Max shrugged. "It's alright," he said honestly. "Webby's really gone out of her way to make sure I'm adjusting alright. Though Cassandra..." He wasn't sure how to describe Cassandra. 

"Is Cassandra." Huey finished for him. He smirked. "Yeah, I know what Cassandra can be like."

"So where are we going anyways?" he asked, changing the subject to something lighter.

"Actually I thought we might go to the Rainbow Alliance meeting today," said Huey, and Max could tell he was forcing himself to sound casual. "They meet at the Student Union pub every Tuesday afternoon, I haven't really been much lately, but I used to go every week. Back when, you know..."

"You think I need a support group?" asked Max.

"It's not a support group," said Huey. "It's not AA where you all sit around and introduce yourself and go through the 12 step program. But yeah, I thought it might be a bit easier on you if you knew other queer people," he shot back, then softened. "It's up to you though," he added. "If you don't feel you're ready we'll go do something else. Your choice."

It felt like a challenge even though he knew Huey didn't mean it that way. He'd been through so much in the last week. He almost felt like the universe was conspiring to drag him kicking and screaming into a new identity. He wished he felt different since acknowledging his feelings. Since actually going out with Huey. He had all these ideas in his head about what being gay meant, and it was an entire identity, complete with a certain way of acting and looking, and Max didn't fit into any of those things. He didn't feel gay, and yet somehow he suddenly was. And bit by bit his old life kept falling out from under him and being replaced by this new one he didn't even recognize.

"You don't have to introduce yourself or anything," Huey reassured him and Max suddenly realised he'd been standing silently for a while now. "You can just sit in and listen if you want. It might help you make sense of things, you know? Hearing other people talk about their own experiences." 

"Yeah, alright," Max finally agreed with a tightness in his chest. 

Inside Max followed Huey to one of the tables with a small group of students hanging out. Max wouldn't have even recognized them for what they were if someone hadn't helpfully taped a small rainbow on the back of a couple of the chairs. A petite cat grinned when she saw Huey coming. "Been a while," she said. "Always nice to see you music students get out and see some of the rest of the university sometimes."

Huey turned to Max. "Max, this is Alice. She's the club chair. Alice--Max." Max noticed Huey conveniently left off mentioning how he was connected to Max, which, Max supposed, he did in an effort to make things easier for Max. As though there was any other reason for Max to even be here other than his sexual orientation. But it still made him feel a bit more relaxed, especially when nobody asked for any details. He was just a normal guy, sitting with some people at a table that just happened to have a rainbow flag taped to it.

Alice started introducing the rest of the table, and Max was a bit startled to realise he knew some of the people there. At least by sight if not necessarily by name. Including two other linguistic majors in his year who Max had thought were friends but were apparently dating, a quiet androgynous kid from his ancient Greek class, and one of the waiters that works at the art cafe where Delilah performs.

"Hey sweetheart, don't tell me you started without me?" a familiar gruff voice said behind Max. Max turned around as Alice was reassuring him they were just intruducing themselves to the new kid. 

"Tank?" he asked.

Tank didn't even blink at seeing Max there. "Dog boy, you ready for the qualifiers?" he asked casually taking a free seat beside Alice. 

Max was mostly quiet during the meeting, which talked about planning upcoming events and get-together, and debated what LGBT friendly movie they should watch next Thursday for their regular movie night while people sipped on soda or beer, or snacked on whatever bar appetizer they might have ordered. After they finished, some of them had places to go but most of the group hung around and just visited for a while. They shocked Max with how brazen they were with their identities, sometimes self-deprecating for the sake of a joke, but more often just open with it, like talking about your same-sex girlfriend, or how hard it is to find a proper fitting binder were the most normal things in the world.

Max thought about the various homophobic comments he'd heard over the years, from pop-culture, kids at school, even Bobby on occasion, and realised this was the other side of the coin. These were the people everyone in mainstream culture was so afraid of, except they were just normal, friendly people who also happened to sometimes have trouble finding a good binder.

"So I haven't seen you guys around the skate park lately," Tank mentioned after a while, when the subject of the upcoming X-games came up. "Don't tell me you guys are feeling that sure of yourself just because you've won two years now. The Gammas have a strong team this year."

The question felt like a splash of cold water. A sudden reminder that being gay wasn't movies and joking around with cool people. It was people you thought of as good friends suddenly refusing to talk to you. He answered something non-committal and it must have sent up some red flags because suddenly half the table was looking at him. "Something going on Max?" asked Alice. "Because if you want to talk about it..."

Not a support group, my ass. Max thought bitterly. Out loud he said "No, not really," and decided maybe it was time to head out. Huey followed close behind him, but it was Tank offering to walk him out that surprised him.

"Hey, I owe you, sweetheart," he said when they'd made it back outside. "If someone's busting your ass you let me know I've got your back."

The thought of sending Tank after Bobby was a bit too tempting. "No thanks, I think I can handle it. But I appreciate the offer," he said honestly. 

"So what did you think?" asked Huey after Tank had left. 

Max shrugged. "It was interesting," he admitted. "Not really what I expected."

Huey grinned at him. "Yeah, I remember my first time going to one of these. I was such a mess back then, and they were all so cool." Huey got quiet remembering those early days, when he was so afraid of his own sexuality. "You know, you could talk to me," he said after a while. "I've been through this all before, and let me tell you, it's a lot easier when you don't keep it all bottled up inside. You're not as alone as you think." Max considered that. "Besides," added Huey. "If something's wrong, people usually talk to their boyfriends."

Max sighed in surrender, and was surprised once we got started how quickly it all easily poured out.

 

As it turned out, Bobby wasn't quitting the team. But he did give PJ a list of rules for Max that he had to follow if he was going to compete on the same team. 

"You are not to speak directly to Bobby, Any questions, concerns, requests may be addressed to PJ, you will not act gay around Bobby, you will not physically touch Bobby..." Pj read the paper in his hand in a monotone.

"Bobby, this is ridiculous," Max growled.

Bobby coughed. "PJ, will you remind Max of rule number one?"

"Don't bother," muttered Max darkly, grabbing his board. "I'll be on the half-pipe if anyone needs me."

But Bobby's list wasn't the worst thing. Suddenly Max's private life seemed to be public knowledge. And he was sure Bobby was to blame, because otherwise it was only Tank and PJ who knew. And Tank had spent 20 minutes yesterday looking for advice on what kind of a dress could be flattering with his figure, and PJ just wasn't the type to blab.

He tried to ignore the unfriendly, judgmental looks he kept noticing, or the bits of conversation people were muttering under their breath when they noticed him, even if words like 'fag' and 'queer' seemed to ring out like they were bell chimes.

Max ignored them, and focused on his boarding. He reminded himself of what Huey had said, he's not alone in this, and was surprised to find it more comforting than he expected. When he was done here he'd go back to Webby's apartment, and this new world he'd discovered where people didn't care that he was dating a guy and things would be fine. In the meantime, let them judge. He had nothing to be ashamed of.

Really it probably would have been completely fine except for what happened next. They finished practice, and after another short argument with Bobby, Max headed home. Except he barely made passed the first corner when someone suddenly yanked his shoulder from behind. 

Max never knew who attacked him. Just that there were three of them, which meant it was probably an opposing aggro-sports team, and that they all had bandannas over the faces. He didn't think whoever it was was someone he knew well however, because when they called him a fag and told him they weren't going to lose to someone like "that", Max didn't recognize their voices. 

He was found 20 minutes later by some poor freshman on her way to an algebra class.

 

Outside his hospital room, Max could hear the doctor talking to his dad. "He has two cracked ribs. We're hopeful his ruptured spleen will heal on its own, but we'll keep monitoring it. He did receive a blood transfusion shortly after arriving, however. And he seems to have a minor concussion, but nothing to worry about so long as nothing else hits his head. Otherwise it seems to be mostly lacerations and bruising. He should be just fine, but it's a good thing he was found when he was."

"Mr Goof." Max recognized the voice of the police officer who'd taken a statement from him earlier. "We'll do what we can to find out who did this, but based on what your son knows, it doesn't seem likely. Hate crimes like these are more common than people realise, unfortunately." She paused and Max heard some papers rustling. "You can call me at this number if you or your son remembers anything else."

"Hate crime?" Max's heart sunk. He had hoped his dad might miss that with all the other information he was being bombarded with, but apparently not.

"You should talk to your son, Mr Goof." said the officer softly before walking off.

Goofy poked his head shyly into Max's room to make sure he was awake before walking in and sitting in the chair by the bed. "Heya Maxie," he said softly. "How you feelin'?"

Max shrugged and immediately wished he hadn't as he felt a sharp pain in his chest. "I've been better," he answered honestly. 

"I don't get it. The cop, there, she said it was a hate crime. But who's got any reason to hate you?"

"Dad, there's something you should know," said Max. "I'm kind of dating someone."

Goofy frowned. "That's real nice, Son. But what's that got to do--"

"I think you'd like him. He plays the piano." Max continued, he didn't want to say who it was, in case Goofy called Donald. He watched his dad stumble a bit over the unexpected pronoun, and felt himself go completely still, wanting to let his dad take as much time as he needed before responding. But before he could get any reaction at all, there was a knock at the door and they both turned to see Huey standing in the doorway. Max cringed when he saw he was carrying his bag of piano music, with a couple scores sticking out conspicuously.

"Hey Mr G," said Huey, then when he'd had a chance to take in the tense atmosphere of the room. "Is this a bad time?"

"Huey? It's Huey?" At least his dad didn't sound mad. But he thought it was a wonder that his dropped jaw wasn't dragging on the ground.

"I just came out," explained Max lamely.

Max saw the shock flicker across Huey's face as he figured it all out. "Oh shit."

 

"You could have tried to stop him you know." Max told Huey after Goofy had left. "He might have understood. I mean, it's not like you could have made it worse."

Huey just shook his head. "And say what? How far do I go to keep this a secret?" he said, and Max thought he was looking suddenly tired. "You've never been in the closet long-term, but let me tell you, secrets can wear you down."

"Maybe it won't be so bad." said Max.

"I don't know why you're worried about me, I saw the look on your dad's face when he left." 

"He'll come around," said Max, more confident on the subject than he felt he had any right to be.

 

Goofy didn't exactly come around like Max had predicted. But he didn't seem to hold it against Max either. He just didn't mention it when he came back a few hours later. It felt like an elephant in the room, but if his dad was talking normally to him again, and if he wasn't ready to talk about _it_ , Max wasn't going to push it. So they talked about treatment time instead, and what Max was going to do over the next few weeks. 

Goofy seemed legitimately surprised to find out Max had changed living spaces, but didn't press him on the details once he found out he hadn't moved in with Huey. Max suspected he didn't want to know. Instead he asked him if they knew when he was likely to be sent home. 

"Maybe tomorrow," said Max, and he couldn't wait to get moving again. "They want to be sure my spleen isn't bleeding anymore."

"You're going to miss the qualifiers." 

"Dad, I've got two cracked ribs. I wasn't making the qualifiers anyways." Max tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice. In between everything else, he'd completely forgotten about the X-games.

"Maybe you should come home fer a few days," Goofy suggested. "Don't know if I trust those girls yer livin' with t'take proper care of ya."

Max smiled. "Yeah, alright." Suddenly a short break from campus life seemed like the best idea in the world.

 

PJ finally managed make it to see Max the next day. Apparently he hadn't heard except that Goofy had apparently told Pete on his way out the door who'd called PJ up to ask for details.

"You look like hell," said PJ.

Max was sitting up, with his legs over the side of the bed. He was back in his own clothes, and just waiting on his dad to get here before leaving. "Yeah, well you should have seen me yesterday." Though maybe that wasn't quite true. The visible cuts on his face and elbow had been bandaged nicely, but his black eye hadn't been showing yet. And he wasn't feeling nearly as stiff then as he was now. "Shouldn't you be at the qualifiers?"

"We can't compete with just two people." He shrugged and made his way properly inside the room. "Automatic disqualification."

"Right. God, that sucks." Max wondered how much more news like that he could take. Then again, it wasn't like he was going to be healed enough in two weeks to compete in the actual X-Games anyways. "Is Bobby pissed at me?"

"Actually he took it pretty well when he found out what happened," said PJ. "He's here, he just stopped to get a cheese bagel."

Max tensed up. "What does he want?" The words snapped out of him a lot harsher than he'd really meant. Or maybe not, he was still feeling pretty pissed off at Bobby.

PJ was saved from answering though, by a knock at the door. It was Bobby.

"Hey, can I come in?" he asked.

"Not like I could stop you." 

Bobby winced and Max was glad to see it. Especially after everything he'd put him through over the past couple of weeks.

He did step properly into the room. Though Max noticed he stayed near the door rather than join PJ and Max by the bed. "Look, I didn't realise...I didn't think--Someone really beat you up?"

Max considered answering something sarcastic about how he usually liked to stay in hospitals and sport black eyes, but he bit it down. "Actually there were 3 of them," he corrected him. As if it made it any less embarrassing. His dad and Huey had been bad enough, but God, why did Bobby have to be here?

"Look, I'm sorry," Bobby suddenly blurted out. "I didn't know, I mean just because you make people a bit uncomfortable..."

"It's not a fucking game, Bobby." Max snapped. He knew Bobby was trying to make things better, but he really didn't feel like making it easy for him. "God, you thought this was funny or something when you refused to even touch me? You thought I wasn't getting shit everywhere else? Because now I'm being checked out of a hospital and waiting for my dad, who by the way hasn't said two words about me having a boyfriend since I told him. But he's got Huey all worked since I accidentally outed him too and he's best friends with Huey's uncle." He got up too fast, and winced at the sudden pain in his ribs. Both PJ and Bobby took a step towards him, which just made him feel worse. He shook them off and stood up properly. "Dammit, these are our lives. And you just fucking screwed up mine."

Bobby didn't answer. He just looked guilty and Max thought good, he should be feeling guilty. The silence seem to stretch between them, and Max hoped they'd just leave when there was another knock at the door and his dad poked his head in.

"Ye ready t'go, Maxie?" he asked. And not a moment too soon.

 

The car trip back to Spoonerville was pretty quiet. But Max appreciated it. Life had been so crazy lately, it was kind of nice to just lay back and watch the countryside roll by. 

About halfway home his phone beeped. It was from Huey.

**Uncle Donald called. He knows.**

Max glanced over at his dad, who seemed to be lost in his own world, and decided not to ask. At least not right now. Instead he texted back: **What did he say?**

A few seconds later the text came back. **He says: Didn't you cause enough trouble for me as a kid?**

 **Ouch.** \- Max

 **Yeah. We talked for hours. I think he understood by the end? Maybe?** \- Huey

 **At least he talked. My dad won't say anything. The rest of your family know yet?** \- Max

 **He said he wouldn't say anything, but made it pretty clear I should.** \- Huey

Slowly the countryside began to give way to the familiar edges of town and pretty soon they were back in the city proper. 

Max sent off one last text-- **Good luck** \-- and put his phone away for the time being. 

They pulled into the driveway, and Goofy immediately began fussing over Max. 

"Here, let me carry those."

"Careful gettin' up, son."

"When was the last deep breath y'took? Maybe you should cough, just t'be sure."

Max carefully climbed out of the car and still managed to hurt his ribs as he did so. He wondered how much longer he was going to be so fragile, and hoped the doctor's estimates of 4-6 weeks was being generous. Across the way, Mr Pete was mowing his lawn, and turned noticeably away when he saw Max glance over. Max sighed (but not too deeply), and wondered if his dad had talked to everyone in the entire town about all this except him.

 

While it was nice being home for a few days, and not have to worry about anything except a bit of school work and recovering, it was also weird. Max and Goofy have always had their differences, that was an understatement, but the one thing they've always been able to do was talk. At least when things got rough. Especially when things got rough. Except his dad seemed to have completely shut down. Sure he made small talk, and the two talked just fine about practical things: what should we do for lunch, or if Max needs any laundry done, came through just fine. But it seemed like over the past few days the two of them had yet to actually talk about anything. And Max wasn't sure how to fix it. 

Maybe it would have been better if he had at least had Huey to talk to, but though he tried, Huey seemed to be preoccupied with his own family issues at the moment and couldn't really offer more than a few words of sympathy and a promise to talk properly when he got back and he had a bit more time. 

Max looked at the number on his speed dial list, and felt a bit guilty that this hadn't been his first go-to when he needed an ear. And he wondered how welcome his call would be. All the more reason to call him, isn't it? He thought and hit the call button.

Three rings and PJ answered, "Max?"

"I've been a pretty shitty friend lately, haven't I?"

"A bit, yeah," Max smiled relieved. If PJ was being honest, then things weren't nearly as bad between them as he thought. An hour later things felt just like old times, with Max laying on his bed petting Waffles and him and PJ spilling their guts to each other. The only major difference was the use of a cellphone instead of their usual tin cans.

"Give it time," PJ suggested. "He's not used to it now, he has to adjust. But once he does it'll be better."

"Man, you knew from the beginning, didn't you?" Max asked thinking back to PJ's I wouldn't care speech.

He expected PJ to deny it, but he just answered simply, "Yeah. I knew."

"How long?"

PJ went quiet for a minute as he thought about it. "You always were a bit too into Powerline." 

Max sputtered. "Peej, I was 14. How did you know years before I did?" Something else occurred to him. "You thought I had a crush on Powerline?"

"Yeah. At least I guessed. Didn't you?"

Max thought about it. "I don't really know."

"Huh," said PJ. "I guess you still have a lot to figure out."

Max felt his stomach squirm. "Yeah, I guess so."

 

When Max got up the next morning he could hear voices from the living room downstairs. He was ready to ignore it and continue on his way to the bathroom when he recognized the other voice. What was Donald Duck doing here? 

Suddenly Max found himself doing something he hadn't done since he was 11. Moving as silently as he could he climbed down the first few stairs and sat just out of sight, and listened.

"I brought'm home so I could talk to'm y'know?" he heard his dad's voice carry up the stairs. "But every time I try, I just clam up and ask'm if he's coughed recently, or what he wants fer lunch." So at least it wasn't just on his end, Max thought, feeling a bit better. "I worry about'm, y'know."

"I know." answered Donald. "I worry about Huey too. I don't think he understands. In the navy, people like that..." Donald's voice trailed off, in a way that settled uncomfortably for Max. For some reason it hadn't occurred to him that Donald would have had any prior contact with queer people. Except he'd followed the recent news stories over the new Don't Ask Don't Tell policies. The so-called compromise to let gay people serve, just not openly. He remembered his promise to Huey that he wouldn't freak out and run, and wondered if he wasn't already in so deep, would he keep it? If he'd known what he knew now, would he have still made it? 

"After what happened to Maxie, he might have a better idea," Goofy pointed out. And something in his tone sent a wash of guilt over Max. "The doctors said if someone hadn't a found'm he might'a bled out through that ruptured spleen of his. I'm havin' nightmares about it."

"And you feel so powerless." added Donald in a sad little quack. "I just want them to have a good life."

Max could feel tears welling up in his eyes. This was too much, the guilt, the worry. God, he hadn't even considered what life was going to be like now that he was out. And finding himself further out of the closet all the time. How many more beatings like this could he expect? What else?

He jumped to his feet intending to go hide in his bedroom the rest of the morning, but he moved to quickly and hurt his ribs again. Without thinking he gasped out loud.

"Maxie?" Shit.

He heard the sound of mugs being set down and people walking towards him. 

"Have you been listening in?" Asked Goofy. 

"Dad, I'm so sorry." he said. "I didn't know--I never wanted to scare you."

Donald, probably sensing he was out of place, made some excuse and slipped off. Though Max didn't miss the comforting way he patted Goofy's arm on his way past. And then he was gone and Goofy was rushing up the stairs two at a time and gathering Max gently up into his arms. 

"Maxie, don't you ever apologize fer bein' who you are." Goofy's voice was surprisingly firm, and the forcefulness of his tone took Max by surprise. And somewhere inside of him something seemed to break and Max just clung to his Dad as if he was holding on for dear life.

 

When Max went back to school, the entire campus felt different. What used to feel like home suddenly felt sinister, dark corners and empty spaces suddenly felt ominous and unsafe. For the most part it was just a subtle anxiety that tended to show up uninvited--unwanted but easy enough to ignore. But every once in a while, the idea of cutting through an alley, or even just going down there when he knew there weren't going to be a lot of people around completely froze him. 

And then there was Huey. Huey had apparently finally called his brothers and come out properly while Max had been away. There had been a lot of shouting, which gave way to a lot of arguing, which by the time Max had made it back had settled into a lot of talking. Max supposed it was a good thing Huey was finally reconnecting with his brothers, but it seemed like if Huey wasn't practicing he was on the phone. Or constantly texting, even when he'd put the phone away and turned it off, he seemed distracted.

"Give it time. It'll calm down after a while," Webby advised when Max told her about it. "I mean, probably, most likely."

"Thanks, I think?" Said Max to her mixed reassurances.

Webby shrugged. "They all used to be really close," she explained. "When I first met them they all acted like they shared a brain."

"Really?" Max thought back the awkwardness he'd witnessed between them at Scrooge McDuck's manor. Then again this sounded more like the Huey, Dewey and Louie he'd known as a kid. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Webby admitted, cocking her head a bit. "When they moved back in with their uncle Donald when they were 14 they were as close as ever. Then Huey contacted me out of the blue when they were applying for colleges and asked me to help him set up an audition for the school of music here without his brothers finding out."

"That must have been a shock for them," said Max. "But why did he tell you when he wouldn't even tell them? Er...no offense or anything."

Webby shook her head. "None taken. And he didn't. I found out two weeks in when I walked in on him with my then-boyfriend."

"You're kidding." 

Webby shook her head, then her expression softened. "I really think this whole just telling people is going to work out well for him. As far as I know, until a few days ago, Huey had yet to willingly come out to anyone."

"He suddenly confessed his feelings for me and kissed me," Max told her. "Er...after I told him Bobby already suspected."

"Gene didn't know for sure until they were living together and he got up to find some guy Huey had picked up in a bar cooking breakfast naked in their kitchen. Gene wasn't supposed to have been home."

"Alright," said Max, "These are stories I think I need to know in more detail."

 

To Max's relief, Webby's prediction seemed to have come true. And Huey even had the sense to be apologetic about ignoring him for as long as he did, especially considering the timing. And once things settled back into a routine, Max started to feel like things might maybe be OK. 

Max still lived with Webby and Cassandra, and was even starting to get along with Cassandra, who it seemed felt sorry for him after he got jumped before the qualifiers. Things were still rocky with Bobby, but it now it was mostly on Max's end. But he knew he couldn't keep the grudge up much longer, he missed Bobby, and he felt bad for putting PJ in the middle they way they did.

But even his friendship with PJ, despite being as friendly as ever, seemed more distant than it ever had been before. It wasn't that they didn't see each other or spend time together, but they weren't joined at the hip anymore. And the weird thing was, maybe that was OK. Suddenly, between starting to get involved in Rainbow Alliance things and spending as much time with Huey he could manage, PJ just didn't fit in as neatly as he used to. 

But most importantly, for the first time since they'd first gotten together, things between him and Huey were good. Without the stress of coming out, or family to deal with, they finally found they had time to focus on each other a bit. And these days felt like the early days they should have had at the beginning. Before Max's life suddenly spun out from under him. This, he thought as he translated ancient Greek poems while Huey played something complicated and lovely on Webby's piano, was a reboot. A new start on what really was still a pretty new relationship.

Huey finished the piece. "How was that?" 

Max looked up. "It sounds good." he answered shrugging.

Huey looked over the music. "I'm rushing the second movement," he said. "And I think the left hand is overpowering the melody at the rondo." 

Max just looked blank. "If you say so." 

"Oh God, there's no way this is going to be ready before the recital next week." Huey looked about ready to tear his feathers out.

"It really did sound good," said Max. "I mean, I enjoyed it at least."

"Max is right, you won't rush the second movement because you'll have a conductor to follow, and I heard the melody from the rondo just fine from the kitchen,"said Cassandra coming in with a mug of coffee and sitting beside Max.

"See? I'm always right," grinned Max. 

"Yeah Mr. Smart Guy? And what what would you suggest is my weak area then?"

"I'd say you're too busy stressing yourself out over this," answered Max, seriously. "Why don't you take a break? We could go back to your place and play some video games. Unwind a bit."

"Video games?" Huey seemed skeptical.

Max shrugged. "Well Cassandra's right here." He grinned and winked.

Huey caught on and blushed while Cassandra rolled her eyes. "I walk in and two minutes later you guys start getting flirty," she whined. "Alright, you win, I'll go. Go do whatever disgusting things you like to do when you're alone together."

Max and Huey grinned and immediately started putting their things away. "Alright, but seriously, we're finally playing through Platinum in Mass Effects 3, right?" asked Huey.

"I hope so, I've been waiting weeks to get through that." Max answered without missing a beat.

Cassandra just shook her head and muttered into her coffee , "Boys."

 

With a bit of help from Delilah and PJ, Max finally tracked down Bobby at the art cafe. He had spotted the three of sitting at a small table, just like PJ had told them they would, and beelined for them.

"We need to talk." said Max sitting down beside Bobby. PJ and Delilah suddenly made excuses and disappeared, leaving the two of them alone to talk. 

"Did you plan this?" asked Bobby.

"I just want you to know, I forgive you." 

Bobby looked taken aback. " _You_ forgive _me_?"

"Yeah, and personally I think I'm being pretty generous," answered Max coolly. "So why don't we just put the whole thing behind us and move on?"

"Because I don't know if I necessarily forgive you."

"I didn't do anything." said Max his voice starting to rise. Maybe he wasn't ready for this yet. "It's not my fault you turned out to be a homophobe."

"Hey, you're the one who kept it from us," Bobby shot back. "You should have been straight from the beginning."

"You're kidding right? Bobby, you found out I liked guys exactly two weeks after I did. I wasn't hiding anything, I was still figuring it out."

Bobby looked a bit taken aback by Max's abruptness, and then just generally uncomfortable.

Max huffed. "Look man, if you're not comfortable with who I am, then you either need to get over it, or we're at an impasse."

Bobby went quiet. Then finally he turned to Max and said, "Give me time. I'll get used to it eventually." and Max let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding. 

"Cool," he said, let himself smile a bit. "Then we're cool."

Bobby nodded. "We're cool, bro."

 

"Ow! Careful! I'm still pretty sore there."

"Sorry, how is this?"

"Yeah, just watch out for the ribs."

"Alright, how about--" Huey stopped talking mid-sentence and turned his head towards the door and froze.

Max opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when he heard it too. Someone was in the apartment. Then without any warning the door opened and a duck dressed in green and eating a sandwich walked in. "Hey, Huey, we hope you don't mind. Your landlady let us in..." Then he finally looked up and saw Max and Huey in a very compromising position. 

Max managed to will himself to do move first and yelped and tried to pull away but just ended up tangling himself in the blankets and falling off the bed. Huey without otherwise moving a muscle just slowly pulled the sheets up to make sure he was absolutely covered from the neck down.

"I'll just wait out here," said Louie helpfully, disappearing back where he came from. From the other side of the door they heard him calling, "Dewey, I found them."

Max watched Huey groan and slowly sink underneath his sheets.

 

"You guys ever hear of knocking?" Demanded Huey still pulling his shirt on as he stormed out of his room towards the two ducks hanging out on his couch. 

Max followed shyly behind him. After what happened he would have been pretty happy to just hide in Huey's room and let him get rid of them, but his curiosity got the better of him.

"You should put a sock on the door." suggested Louie.

"What are you guys even doing here?" asked Huey. Max didn't think he'd ever seen Huey this angry, but his brothers treated it as a non-event. 

Dewey grinned and nodded towards Max. "Him," he said. Max, startled, stepped back nervously, and Dewey grinned. "We wanted to meet the future Mr. Hubert Duck." he explained, and him and Louie jumped up to start mock inspecting him. 

"So this is the boy our baby brother is so infatuated with," said Louie holding up one of Max's ears and looking under it.

"I'm five minutes older than you are, Louie," said Huey dryly.

Dewey was inspecting Max. "So what are your intentions towards our brother?" he asked in an authoritative voice. "Can you continue to support him in the manner in which he has become accustomed?"

"I suppose it's too late for the lecture on protecting our brother's innocence," added Louie, giving Max an accusatory stare.

Max shot Huey a panicked look. 

"Hey guys, lay off," said Huey. 

To Max's great relief, both Dewey and Louie stopped poking and prodding him and took a step back. 

"So of all the people to steal our brother's heart," grinned Dewey. "Man, I knew you were a threat, even when we were kids."

Max couldn't quite understand why, but something about that sent chills up his spine. 

"Oh my God, Dewey." Huey's face had gone red. "You're going to scare him off."

"I'm OK, really," Max reassured them, lying through his teeth. "But I really should be going." he edged towards the door. "Um...it was nice meeting--well see you guys again."

"Wait!" called Huey. 

"I'll text," said Max quickly, right before he slipped out the door and escaped entirely. He didn't know what it was, but that same anxiety that had been attacking him since he'd gotten back from his dad's had suddenly come out in full forth, and he'd needed to run. It wasn't until he was halfway back to his own apartment that he realised he'd forgotten his bag at Huey's.

 

"Not that we're complaining or anything, but you've sure been around an awful lot lately, Max. Something going on?" asked PJ between bad movies.

Max crossed his arms and slid further into the couch. "I'm hiding from Dewey and Louie. Huey's brothers," he clarified when he realised they wouldn't know them. "They appeared out of the blue, and they won't stop asking questions," he groaned. "Or poking me," he added, thinking about that annoying habit Louie had recently picked up, as if he was testing to see if he was actually real. 

"Alright, but why are you here 24/7 then? Why not hide out in your apartment?" asked PJ. 

"They're there too. Webby's like a surrogate sister to them or something," he said. "They're over there as often as they're with Huey. I can't get away." he turned to PJ and raised an eyebrow. "Why? Are you getting sick of me already?"

PJ smiled and shook his head. "Nah, just don't stay the night. They've already given your bed away."

Max wasn't really shocked. He'd informed the student residence services that he had moved out the day he'd gotten back from his dad's. But it still seemed sudden. "Already?" he asked. 

"I wouldn't say it was that soon, dude. It's been 3 weeks. I guess time flies when you're busy having an identity crisis."

"Yeah." Said Max, not sure why he was bothered now when he wouldn't have been a week ago. "I guess so."

 

When he got back home, he was disappointed but not surprised to see Dewey and Louie already there. He was a bit more excited to see Huey in the mix, but he would have preferred him without his brothers. Why were they there anyways? Webby was nowhere in sight.

"So how long are you guys staying anyways?" Max asked, hoping he just sounded mildly curious and not ready to throw them out the door and back where they came from. "Don't you go to school on the other side of the country?"

Max didn't like the casual way Dewey draped over the couch. "You looking to get rid of us so soon, Maximillian?"

"It's a fair question," Huey came to his rescue again. "How much longer do you guys plan to stay?" Huey definitely didn't make the same effort Max did to sound diplomatic. Max felt surge of gratitude towards Huey.

Possibly for the first time since Max had ever known him, he saw Dewey frown. Not mock frown, or pretending to frown, but a real sincere look of frustration and concern. "Dammit, Huey. Can't you see how worried we are. How worried we've been?"

Max stole a glance at Louie who had been uncharacteristically quiet up until this point and saw him nodding along, apparently in obvious agreement.

Huey turned his attention to the floor, apparently more interested in it, than his brothers. "I needed space," he said, his voice oddly quiet. It suddenly occurred to Max that he shouldn't be here. But he wasn't sure how to slip out without drawing attention to himself. "You don't understand."

"The only thing we don't understand is why you couldn't be straight with us in the first place," Dewey shot back.

"And how was I supposed to know that?" asked Huey, and his voice was starting to rise. "Neither of you ever said a damn thing about gay people. I used to lie awake at night wondering if I came out how you two would react. I knew your top 3 favourite ice cream flavours, and exactly what you would do if you ever became president, and I hadn't the slightest idea what you would think of me if you knew."

"So you just run off?" asked Dewey his voice rising too. 

Beside them Louie groaned. "Not this again. I thought we were passed the fighting stage."

Both brothers looked at Louie, and seemed to calm down some. Dewey glanced back at Huey, looking a bit less angry, but still concerned. "We just miss you, dude," he finally said. "It hasn't been easy downgrading from a trio to a duo, you know."

That seemed to deflate Huey a bit. "It's been pretty different," he admitted. 

"A bit?" asked Louie.

"Alright, really different," Huey agreed. "I really missed you guys."

"Yeah, well we missed you too," said Dewey. "And next time you don't know how we might react to something, why don't you just talk to us instead of running away across the country on us?"

"I'll do that," said Huey but he was grinning.

"That's mostly we why we came down," said Dewey. "Man, we just wanted to make sure you were alright. See it all for ourselves."

"And boy did we," said Louie, making Huey groan and Max blush. 

 

Before they left, Dewey made sure to corner Max on his own. "Listen, I know we tend to rub each other the wrong way, but I just want to say, I think you're good for Huey. I really am glad you two are together."

Max nodded, but there was something about all of this wasn't sitting right for him.

 

Max had thought he'd feel better once Dewey and Louie had left, but something was still leaving him feeling unsettled. He still liked Huey, and he was still enjoying spending time with him, but there were things, little things that should have been no big deal that bothered him.

They were watching a comedy and Max forgot himself and let out that stupid Hyuk his dad always did. He covered his mouth embarrassed, but Huey just grinned at him like he'd never heard it before. "That's the most endearing thing." 

A few days later over lunch Huey mentioned playing the organ for some old church. It was a little thing, but Max really felt like it was something he really should have known by this point. 

Just little things that for some reason gnawed at Max when he let his guard down.

Still it was beginning to subside, and it probably all would have been fine, except for what happened next. Max had been alone, walking down a busy enough street on his way from the campus back home, when a large black car pulled up beside him and yanked him off the street. There Max found himself in the back of a limo with two large goons and an awkward duck who called himself Fenton who mostly just apologized profusely but was otherwise unhelpful in explaining to Max what was going on. The car trip was maybe an hour and Max had no idea where he was being taken until they stopped and he was in front of the famous Scrooge McDuck money bin in Duckberg. 

The next thing Max knew he was sitting in Scrooge McDuck's office, the duck himself was giving him a firm once over. "Aye, so this is the young man that's got Huey all in a tizzy," he said, inspecting him closely with his pince nez held up. "How was yer trip?"

Awkward, rough, intimidating. All these words went through Max's mind. I was freaked out beyond belief, thank you for asking, sir. If it hadn't been Huey's great uncle, it's probably exactly what would have come out of his mouth. But it was, and so what Max ended up saying was a squeaked out, "Fine, sir."

"Ah, good good," said Scrooge, oblivious as Max shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "So tell me a bit about yerself, lad. I know yer Goofy's boy, but not much else. What are yer hobbies? How good are ya at spottin' a good deal?"

Max found the interview uncomfortable, but the more they talked about him and the less Huey was mentioned, but more his anxiety subsided. At least until they got to Max's plans for the future and he started talking about studying ancient languages and his eventual goal of deciphering ancient texts of dead languages. Suddenly Scrooge was making plans and going on about how useful an interpreter could be on their adventures, and Max was starting to feel panicky again when suddenly Huey burst into the room.

"Oh my god, you kidnapped my boyfriend?" he asked. 

_Yes_. Thought Max. _That's exactly what he did_. But Scrooge answered, "Kidnappin'? I dun know if I'd go that far."

Max leapt at the distraction. "Listen, Mr. McDuck, it's been nice, but I really ought to be going," he managed, and bolted for the door. He didn't even wait for a response.

As he made his way back out of the building, he was aware that he was being followed, but he didn't care. He needed space, and to be somewhere safe where he could sit and regroup. Huey caught up to him anyways.

Max must have looked as bad as he felt because the first words out of Huey's beak were, "Hey, you alright?" 

No. Everything was spinning and he couldn't breathe. 

"Dude, you're shaking," said Huey. "Maybe you should sit down."

He reached out to grab Max's arm but he pulled away. "This is too much, Huey," he said. "I can't deal with your family."

"I know," said Huey quickly. "They're being a bit crazy right now, and yes, Uncle Scrooge can be a bit eccentric. But he was way out of line just grabbing you like that."

"I'm not talking about that," said Max

"You're not?" asked Huey surprised.

"Two months ago, I didn't even know I liked men." said Max, surprised how easily the words poured out, "And suddenly there's family and everyone's asking intentions and plans after graduation. It's a bit fast, don't you think?"

"They don't get it," Huey repeated what he'd said about his brothers earlier. "They're jumping to conclusions."

"Huey, what did you tell them about me?"

Huey didn't answer, surprised by the sudden question.

"They seem to have reached a lot assumptions," accused Max.

"So I said I liked you. We are dating," Huey shot back.

"Yeah, but I don't know if I like you as much as you like me." Max regretted the words the moment he said them. Especially when he saw the hurt look on Huey's face. But he wouldn't back down.

"I just...I can't deal with this right now," Max continued. 

"Are you breaking up with me?" asked Huey.

"I don't know!" said Max. 

"Look, I know these last few days have been a bit crazy, but I haven't been pushing you, and if this is suddenly too much, you owe it to me to at least tell me," said Huey.

"It hasn't just been the last few days," Max corrected him.

"I know it's been a lot crazier than either of us thought it would be," Huey amended. 

"Yeah, well maybe I'm wondering if it's worth it." snapped Max. "Because every time I think things might finally calm down something else happens, and I don't think I can keep dealing with this."

Huey looked like he'd been physically hurt. "I asked you at the beginning, remember? And you promised you wouldn't walk out of it got too hard."

"Yeah, well, maybe I need to rethink that," said Max, and before Huey could say anything else, he turned heal and walked off.

It wasn't until he was at the bus station that his brain seemed to start working again, suddenly going from frozen into overdrive, swimming, as it tried to process all the events of the day. He felt sick. 

 

 

 

When Max got back everything seemed stale. He expected questions, but it was like everyone had picked up on instinct that something bad had happened, and mostly people left him alone.

As for Huey, Max didn't really see him. He figured he was avoiding him, choosing to use the practice rooms in the music building instead of borrowing Cassandra's piano. Though if Max thought about it, he was avoiding areas he knew Huey tended to go too. Not that Huey tended to do much that didn't involve being allowed to sit at a piano. Max had been trying to get him out more, though now that seemed like another life.

A week went by, life continued, and it wasn't until a cancelled lab, and Max coming back to the apartment at an unexpected time that he saw Huey again, sitting at Cassandra's piano, helping Webby with a song.

Max's heart soared. He hadn't realised just how much he'd missed him until he standing in the same room as him again. 

Huey didn't look glad to see him, he looked startled when he turned around and saw who it was who'd just walked in. "Sorry." What was he apologizing for? "We didn't think you'd be back so soon." So he had been avoiding him, Max thought. He wondered how many times he'd come back to have just missed Huey, who had made sure to time his visits around Max's classes. The thought hurt, but Max supposed he deserved it. Now that he'd had time to process everything, he really felt like he'd been a lot harsher than he'd needed to be. Huey hadn't done anything, not really. Max felt another wave of guilt for blaming at all at the time.

"Do you want me to go?" he was already making a list of places he could disappear to for an hour while Huey and Webby finished up. 

Huey looked guilty, which told Max that he wanted to say yes, but probably wasn't going to. "No, it's cool. If you don't mind listening to us practice that is."

There it was, Huey was giving him a way to leave that wouldn't be personal. Though Max was pretty sure he was doing it because he hoped Max would take it rather than for Max's own benefit. He was just about to answer, the most casual way he could, that yeah, he'd get more work done somewhere quiet, when Webby spoke up.

"Max, you can stay," she said, warmly but firmly. She also gave Huey a stern look, which made him look even more guilty, and Max recognized a whole conversation between them he hadn't been a part of. 

Of course now that Webby had called him out on it, he was stuck. So he did the next best thing, he disappeared into the kitchen and pulled his books out to work out of sight. There he tried to concentrate on ancient grammar instead of listening in on Huey and Webby's practice. When they were going over the song, it was easy enough, but Max was enjoying listening to Huey go over the technical aspects, even if he had no idea what words like staccato and legato actually meant. He just sounded so professional and smart. He always came into his own when it was about music. Or maybe he just missed hearing Huey's voice. 

When they finished, Huey started talking about having somewhere to be, but Webby insisted he at least stay for a cup of coffee. There was some whispering that Max couldn't hear, but some of the hissing from Webby made it sound like she was threatening him. And so Huey stayed and they joined Max in the kitchen with coffee.

The conversation was awkward. Though Huey seemed to relax a bit when he realised that Max didn't not want to see him. Still he ended up talking mostly to Webby and Max found himself just listening. And then Webby made an excuse and left, her coffee half finished, with an apology and a stern look at Huey that said 'you had better not follow me.'

"I guess we should talk," said Huey, uncharacteristically shy.

"I guess so," Max agreed.

"Look, I was out of line back there. You weren't running back into the closet, I shouldn't have hinted that you were."

Max thought about when this whole thing started, and was startled to realise just how different he felt he was than he had been back then, "I don't think I could go back to who I was two months ago," he said. "And don't worry about it, I said a couple of things I kind of regret too. I think the stress was just getting to me." 

"You know, Webby and I were just talking about how most people don't stay with their first same sex partner after coming out. I'm not sure why, but now I think it's everything involved. It's a lot of stress to put a relationship through, and it changes you at the end." he turned his coffee mug around, more focused on it, than he was on Max.

"I'm definitely not the same guy I was," Max agreed.

"So where are we then?" asked Huey. 

"I..." Max started, then stopped then started again, "I went through a bad breakup last spring with Mona. I don't know if I can deal with suddenly being in another serious relationship."

Huey nodded, without taking his eyes off his mug. "So this is a breakup, then," he said. 

"I didn't say that," said Max quickly. "I just...I don't want what these past few weeks have been, you know? Things are moving too fast."

"Well what do you want?" asked Huey looking back at him.

"...I don't know," said Max lamely.

"Well you'd better figure it out," said Huey, getting up and gathering up his stuff. "Because I'm not going to wait around on an 'I don't know."

Huey reached for the door and stopped. He turned back to Max, "The thing is, we both know I'm crazy about you. But you need to feel the same way or we're just spinning our tires here."

 

 

It was the first snowfall of the year, just barely cold enough to justify the fat snowflakes floating slowly to the warm ground. Max steeled himself before walking across the street to Huey's apartment building.

Huey looked surprised when he opened the door, and saw Max dressed in a suit. "Max! Not that I'm not happy to see you but this isn't a good time."

"You're expecting Webby?" asked Max lightly. "Yeah, apparently she was double booked or something? I dunno. She asked me to let you know."

Huey raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Alright, what's going on?" 

"Well I thought since you suddenly had a free night, and I just happen to have these symphony tickets for tonight..." he held out a pair of tickets he'd been keeping in his shirt pocket.

"You got symphony tickets?" asked Huey snatching the tickets out of Max's hands. "How did you afford symphony tickets?" 

"Actually it was your great-uncle. I guess he was feeling a bit guilty over the whole kidnapping thing."

"He must have felt pretty bad to shell out for concert tickets. These aren't even the cheap seats," said Huey looking over the tickets. "And you asked for symphony tickets? Since when do you like classical music?"

"I was thinking I should learn, I mean I'm probably going to be going to quite a few of your concerts, right?" 

Huey frowned, "Dude, did you hit your head or something?" He playfully tried to reach Max's forehead but Max dodged.

"I'm fine," he said, "can't a guy surprise his boyfriend every once in a while?"

"So we are still together?" asked Huey, suddenly serious. "Is that what this is about?"

Max nodded and leaned back, "You asked me what I wanted. Well I went and thought about it, and this is what I want. I feel like in all the craziness we missed out on just being normal boyfriends, doing normal dating things. I want to go to nice places with you, and spend time with you, and just let us enjoy getting to know each other a bit better. Besides, you've been so great during all this, while I've been busy freaking out."

Huey nodded, considering. "Alright," he finally said, "and then what happens if things get crazy again? And the dating thing takes a backseat again?"

"I thought about that too, and I'll deal," said Max seriously. "Because this?" He gestured between them. "I want this, I think just as much as you do."

Huey grinned. "Yeah?"

He leaned forward, but Max missed it, choosing the exact wrong time to look down at his watch. "But you need to hurry and get changed if we're gonna make it on time."

"Max?"

"What?" asked Max looking back at Huey.

"Don't worry so much," he said, and then while he was still looking in the right direction, he kissed him.


	2. Epilogue

Webby was wearing a pink sequin dress and singing old lounge songs, while Huey kept himself hidden behind the piano. Webby walked down off the stage singing about old black magic.

"That's him! Just like Uncle Scrooge said." whispered Dewey as he reached Louie at the bar with a recently emptied tray nodding towards an old crotchety looking dog across the way.

"Are you sure?" asked Louie.

"Just give me a martini," hissed Dewey.

Louie served up the martini, and Dewey wandered back over to the table. He dropped the glass on his table, then risked a glance when he noticed his attention was taken by the stage, and there it was. Almost in plain site, sticking rolled up out of his pocket. Dewey took the empty glass beside the new one he'd just set down, then as he walked past, gracefully slipped the rolled up paper out of the patron's pocket and into his own. Still he didn't properly exhale until he made it back to the bar and slipped it safely back to Louie to stash it until closing.

Back on stage, Webby was asking for another round of applause for Huey's wonderful accompaniment

. 

The map was in Aramaic and Max knew it would take the better part of a week deciphering it all. But he could tell a few things right off the bat. "It's definitely a temple, these are religious markings." He pointed out to the group, that consisted of him, Huey and his brothers, Webby, and two ducks he had not known before he'd joined the team, a pilot named Launchpad and a sarcastic duck named Gene. "There's no indication though that there'll be any treasure."

"Oh, there's a treasure, all right. I can feel it in me bones." said Scrooge excitedly. "Besides, nothing ventured, nothing gained. We've got t'at least check it out."

"So you can desecrate another temple?" demanded Max. "Do you know how much history we lost when those Sanskrit ruins were knocked down? We could have learned so much."

"Aye, but we managed to get the gold before that thievin' Glomgold beat us to it." Scrooge pointed out as though that was all that mattered. The rest of the group sighed and sat back while they had it out. It seemed Max and Scrooge had very different ideas about what made ancient ruins valuable. 

Huey slipped out and his brothers followed closely behind. "Your husband is arguing with Uncle Scrooge again," muttered Louie stating the obvious. 

Huey shrugged. "They'll work it out. They have to, Max is the only one who can read the map." 

Dewey smiled. "Maybe it'll do uncle Scrooge some good to have to compromise for once. Besides, I kind of agree with Max on this one."

Louie snorted. "It was your improvised bomb that knocked the Sanskrit ruins down in the first place," he pointed out. "All that really matters is that we get a good adventure out of it. If we don't go follow this up, I'll be disappointed."

Huey just nodded and listened to his brothers argue until Max finally emerged from the room looking mad enough to boil an egg. Which meant Uncle Scrooge was probably still in there, just as red faced and ready to blow a fuse.

Huey sighed, he was like Louie, he didn't care much if there was a treasure at the end or not, but he wanted adventure. "Alright," he said to his brothers, "I'll handle Max, you two go talk to Uncle Scrooge. I bet we can have this all sorted by dinnertime." Working as one, the ducks separated ready to begin yet another exciting chapter of their lives.

**Author's Note:**

> I took a few licenses:
> 
> I wasn't sure what to do for majors, so I ended up making them up almost at random. 
> 
> And I am aware that Della Duck is more mysteriously absent than dead, but unfortunately killing her off served my purposes, so my apologies to Della.


End file.
